SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Reese McGuire #30 of the Chicago White Sox hits an rbi single scoring Everson Pereira #28 against the Athletics in the top of the second inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the offseason, the Braves knew that there’d be some issues with Sean Murphy’s availability. They signed Jonah Heim on February 10. That move turned into 45 PAs for Heim, where he ended up barely above replacement thanks to A) one big game at Coors Field in his final outing with the team and B) outhitting his .278 xwOBA over those 45 PAs. Then, Heim was DFAed and traded to the Athletics when Murphy was activated from the Injured List.
Heim was signed when the Braves knew Murphy would be out for about a month of regular season action. Now, Murphy is going to be out about twice as long. The Braves did re-sign Sandy Leon, but that’s likely a stopgap: they didn’t go to Leon as the backup earlier, so it’d be strange to think that they now plan to rely on Leon for an even longer period. Chadwick Tromp is once again in the organization, but the Braves neither relied on him in April, nor opted to select his contract instead of re-signing Leon, so I’m not sure if he’s the team’s preference to hang out on the roster and catch games against southpaws and such up until the All-Star Break or whatever.
Who does that leave, though? It’d be funny if the Braves simply re-acquired Heim, especially since he’s not really playing for his new team (he’s made one start in ten days, along with a couple of pinch-hit appearances). On top of that, Heim didn’t really show anything on either side of the ball to make him an exciting (re-)acquisition; other than familiarity, his career looks to be continuing in its 2024-2025 sub-replacement vein, rather than a return to form. But, it’s not clear what options the Braves have overall that aren’t Leon or Tromp.
Austin Wynns was an Athletics roster casualty after being supplanted by Heim. The problem with Wynns is that the 35-year-old journeyman backup catcher isn’t actually good at anything, clocking in as a typical backup catcher bat without any notable framing skills. After that, I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking the question. Other guys that are floating around include Austin Barnes and Reese McGuire; I couldn’t find other MLB veterans that re-entered the waiver wire this year. Barnes is 36 and may still be an okay framer, but his overall defensive profile has taken a tumble in his mid-30s; he was released by the Mets in Spring Training. McGuire actually got into a few games for the White Sox this year, and his framing is non-horrible, but no team has shown any interest in him since he was cut a few weeks ago.
Colin Rea and Grant Holmes matched zeroes through two innings, and the Cubs failed to score in the top of the third. The Braves got on the board in the bottom of that inning on a single by Dominic Smith (who you might remember from a brief appearance as a Cub in Spring Training 2024), a ground out advancing him and an RBI single by Mike Yastrzemski.
The Cubs took the lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Alex Bregman challenged a pitch and was incorrect. That was the Cubs’ second wrong challenge of the game, and I’ll get to the other one later.
So that was good. It broke a 23-inning scoreless streak for the Cubs and was Bregman’s first home run since April 24, a span of 62 plate appearances. As it would turn out, that was the Cubs’ only hit.
Perhaps that homer rattled Holmes, as he walked the next three hitters, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch. So the Cubs had the bases loaded with one out. This is exactly where a team has to go for it, this is an excellent scoring opportunity, especially for a team that’s had trouble scoring recently.
So the Cubs had a 2-1 lead going to the bottom of the fourth, and Rea had been dealing, but that ended in the Atlanta half of the inning, which included home runs by two players (Austin Riley and Yastrzemski) who both came into the game with BA’s below .213. For Yastrzemski, it was his first home run of the season in more than 125 plate appearances.
With the score 4-2 due to the homers, Ryan Rolison relieved Rea with two runners on and one out and allowed an RBI single to Matt Olson, making it 5-2.
And that, basically, was that. Cubs relievers (Rolison, Jacob Webb and Trent Thornton) threw 3.2 shutout innings with four strikeouts. Braves relievers threw five no-hit innings and allowed one further baserunner after the fourth (a one-out walk by Nico Hoerner in the fifth).
The Cubs did flash some glove in this game or the score might have been worse.
Now I’d like to talk a bit about the Cubs’ first ABS challenge of the game, made by Ballesteros in the first inning. Here’s the situation and pitch [VIDEO].
That’s the ninth pitch of the game. There’s nobody on base, the game is scoreless and there’s one out. As Jim Deshaies said after Ballesteros was wrong on that one, if you’re going to challenge in that situation, you have to be really, really sure that you’re right. The pitch was close but it wasn’t that close. Now, the lack of challenges didn’t really have any impact on the result of this game, but this should be a learning experience for the young catcher. Ballesteros had twogood challenge games in Spring Training, but… this is a different story.
More on the Cubs getting just one hit, from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs had been held to one hit in 68 previously games since 1901, most recently Sept 18 of last year, in a 1-0 loss at Cincinnati.
They had scored two runs in five of the 68, winning the first three, vs. the Dodgers at home in 1902 (2-0), at St. Louis in 1908 (2-0) and at home vs. the Reds in 1937 (2-1). They also beat the Dodgers at home, 3-2, in 1914.
The two losses with two runs were by 8-2 at Cincinnati in 1971 and by 4-2 at home vs. the Royals on Aug. 21, 2021.
They now have been one-hit five times since then and did not score in any of the games.
They did not score in 55 of the 69 games. They scored once in eight games – and won one of them, in Game 1 of a Fourth of July doubleheader at Pittsburgh in 1906. The hit, by Jimmy Slagle, came in the ninth inning and he scored the run.
The offense has been moribund for three games now, with a total of two runs and eight hits. This is too good of an offense to do that for very long, and eventually they will come out of it.
And… yeah, gotta say this: The Cubs had a 10-game winning streak, lost three in a row, then won 10 straight again. Now they’ve lost three in a row again. You don’t suppose…
Well, of course it’s very unlikely. But that’s why they play the games.
The Cubs will look to snap that three-game streak Wednesday evening in Atlanta. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and rookie JR Ritchie goes for the Braves. Game time Wednesday is again 6:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
We're mostly focused on totals — specifically Unders — with our MLB picks for Wednesday's slate.
See why our baseball experts expect Rockies/Pirates and Giants/Dodgers to stay low scoring... plus the White Sox to find success behind a strong pitching matchup.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Rockies/Pirates Over 8.5
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
Jose Quintana might be one of the luckiest pitchers in baseball right now, with his 3.90 ERA hiding behind the fourth-worst xFIP among MLB starters. He’s also backed by a Colorado Rockies bullpen that owns the fourth-worst ERA in baseball over the last two weeks. Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller can also get added to the “lucky” list, with a .246 BABIP that is well below the league (and his career) average, and the Pirates' bullpen has been even worse than Colorado's lately. There’s a slight chance of rain, but 13-mph winds blowing out to center field are not going to help two fly-ball-heavy starters.
Jon Metler's expert pick: White Sox moneyline
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
The Royals' lineup is built around right-handed bats, led by the red-hot Bobby Witt Jr., but this is a uniquely difficult matchup against Noah Schultz, who isn’t a typical left-handed pitcher. The 6-foot-10 southpaw throws from a low three-quarter arm slot and features a sweeping slider that dives toward the back foot of righty hitters. That combination of angle and movement makes it extremely difficult for righties to pull the ball in the air with authority, limiting a lot of KC's power upside. Outside of Witt, the only other major power threat is Vinnie Pasquantino, who has historically struggled against left-handed pitching. Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox are positioned to create matchup problems of their own, with the ability to stack as many as seven left-handed bats against Seth Lugo throughout the lineup. When you factor in both the pitching matchup and the platoon advantages, I think the White Sox should be trading closer to a 56-cent (-127) favorite in this spot.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Giants/Dodgers Under 8.5
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
Runs should be at a premium tonight, as Shohei Ohtani is putting together the best pitching season of his career, posting a 0.97 ERA across six starts — with five of those games staying Under the total. He’s also been dominant at Dodger Stadium since joining the team, allowing one earned run or fewer in all 10 of his regular-season home starts! Ohtani has owned this San Francisco Giants lineup, holding them to a .525 OPS in 73 combined ABs, but his counterpart Robbie Ray should not be overlooked either. Not to be outdone, Ray looks to be back in ace form with a 2.76 ERA, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have been below average vs. left-handed pitching in recent weeks.
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It was one of the more iconic scenes in baseball moviedom. Lou Brown tells his troops that Rachel Phelps (the owner) does not want them to win. In order to win the division they will need to win 32 more games (from that point in the season) and with every win they will pull off a slice to reveal a nearly naked Rachel Phelps. I’m sure we would all just as soon scrub that mental image in our minds when doing the same with Jim Crane and the animus is not nearly on the same level.
Still, we need to look at the basic exercise because once you approach Memorial Day it is time to stop calling the season early. My comrade Patrick Creighton talked about the team only being one month in. With the early start, we are now approaching two months of baseball. So, if we are playing the Rachel Phelps game then how many wins will it take to get to the playoffs?
We need to approach this from two angles. Obviously, we need to look at where the Astros currently are and do the simple math to get them to a certain number of wins. However, how many wins is that? Following the 2020 season, MLB permanently expanded the playoffs to add the third wild card. Below are the lowest number of wins in each league to make it to the postseason that year. We will add another column for the aggregate.
AL
NL
Agg
2021
91
83
87
2022
86
89
88
2023
89
84
87
2024
86
87
87
2025
87
83
85
AVG
88.2
85.2
86.8
So, it is possible when looking at the National League to imagine a team with 83 wins making it to the postseason. You could argue that the American League could be in one of those seasons where the balance of power is skewed to the other league. Even in that universe, the average number of wins in THAT league has been 85. It feels irresponsible to assume anything less than that. Is it possible? Sure. Is it responsible? Not in a million years.
So, let’s assume 85 wins for the time being. The Astros have two separate issues. They are eleven games under .500 and they are 0-6 against the team most likely to wind up on top in the AL West. They have five games remaining this week between the Mariners and Rangers. This math exercise could get out of hand really quick, but let’s look at the basic math. The Astros sit at 16-27. In order to get to 85 wins they would need to finish the season at 69-50. That’s a .580 clip.
That doesn’t seem like much. This team played to that down the stretch in 2024 (in fact playing at a better clip after starting 12-24). They famously played at a better clip in 2005 after starting 15-30. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future results because this is a different Astros team than even the 2024 outfit. Like the 2025 bunch, they are decimated by injuries. However, we go back to the basic math question. A .580 baseball team over 162 games would win 94 games. This is a basic question. Can this team be a 94 win team as currently constituted even when it is healthy?
I have no doubt that a healthy Hunter Brown would be huge in this rotation. A healthy Josh Hader would be huge at the end of the bullpen. A healthy Jeremy Pena would be key to the lineup. These are all givens but they are also all theoretical. None of them are currently healthy. Brown cannot return until June at the earliest because he is on the 60 day disabled list. Pena could possibly return within a week to ten days, but that would be after this key stretch in the AL West. Hader probably has at least another two to three weeks of rehab left before he can join the team.
Let’s say that in 28 days you have them all back and playing at their previous high levels. That would mean you would need to play at a .580 clip with some or all of them out or the math would change. If you go say 13-13 in those games while some or all of them are out then you need to go 56-37 down the stretch. That’s a .602 percentage or a 98 win pace.
I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but someone needs to say this. The odds of coming back from this start are slim. Yes, you are only a handful of games separated from the top of the league. You also have the 15th best record in the American League. Focusing on the number of games you are back seems simple enough, but that is assuming every other team in the league continues to sputter and spin their wheels. It assumes no one gets hot or figures something out. The best way to approach it is to go based on history and focus on that number. That number is 85.
Obviously, this is a place for cold, hard data. Understanding the math obviously spills us into the next debate and that is whether the Astros realistically can do that and what they would need to do to help their chances. That feels more like commentary to me, so I will leave that for a different time. What do you think? How realistic do you think it is for this Astros team to come back?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 12: A.J. Ewing #9 of the New York Mets steals second base in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Citi Field on May 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets beat the Tigers in a 10-2 blowout. A.J. Ewing impressed in his debut, drawing three walks, driving in two runs, stealing a base, and hitting a triple for his first major league hit.
Carson Benge’s outfield dynamism has turned heads and is one of the few bright spots in the slog of the 2026 season so far.
With A.J. Ewing’s call-up, the Mets designated outfielder Andy Ibáñez for assignment.
The Mets aren’t in the bottom of at least one hyper-specific statistic: pitches thrown outside the zone and called strikes without a challenge.
A.J. Minter threw a bullpen session yesterday and should be heading back to a rehab assignment this weekend, hopefully putting his return in the somewhat near future.
On the other hand, Luis Robert Jr. is still experiencing symptoms and doesn’t look to be coming back anytime soon, potentially giving A.J. Ewing a lot of runway.
Francisco Alvarez was removed from last night’s game due to a right knee injury and will undergo an MRI today.
MLB Pipeline put out a list of every team’s current hottest pitching prospect, and the Mets’ selection is (unsurprisingly) the nearly-untouchable Jack Wenninger.
Around the National League East
Much of the Braves’ offense—and success—is coming courtesy of the heavy-hitting duo of Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin.
The Nationals routed the Reds in a 10-4 victory, with Daylen Lile driving in four of the Nationals runs on two home runs.
The Phillies held on to beat the Red Sox 2-1, with Zack Wheeler going 7.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits and striking out four.
The Marlins were shut out by the Twins 3-0. Eury Pérez gave up all three runs in six innings, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out eight.
The Braves bested the Cubs 5-2 in a heavyweight matchup. The hero of the game for the Braves was Mike Yastrzemski, who drove in three runs on two hits including a two-run home run.
Around Major League Baseball
So many of this year’s best teams have issues with the back end of their bullpen, and Buster Olney explained why.
The Dodgers have acquired outfielder Alek Thomas from the Diamondbacks in exchange for a minor league outfielder.
MLB and the Player’s Association met for the first time yesterday to begin negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, with the current one set to expire on December 1.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Steve Sypa returned with another group of Mets Minor League Players of the Week.
Steve Sypa also introduced us to the newly called up top prospect A.J. Ewing.
Mar 24, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez against the Chicago Cubs during spring training at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
We have reached the midway point of the first half of the International League schedule and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are in the thick of the race for first place. They entered the week in fifth place with a 20-17 record, four games behind the leading Memphis Redbirds (25-14). The Gwinnett Stripers are second at 24-15, the Louisville Bats third at 23-16 and the Worcester Red Sox fourth at 21-16. Right in back of the RailRiders are the Syracuse Mets and St. Paul Saints, both 20-18.
Unfortunately, the RailRiders do not play Memphis, Gwinnett, nor Louisville this season. However, they were scheduled to begin a series at PNC Field in northeastern Pennsylvania against Syracuse on Tuesday. Then after visiting the Lehigh Valley IronPigs next week, they host Worcester for six games May 26-31, then go to Syracuse for seven games June 2-7.
So in the next four weeks, the RailRiders have a chance to take care of business on their own and hope that the top three teams hit the skids. This week is the second meeting of the season between the RailRiders and Syracuse. The Mets won four of five when the teams played April 14-19 in New York.
Some of baseball’s top prospects will be featured in the series. Syracuse has the Mets’ No. 1 prospect and No. 36 overall according to MLB Pipeline in righty Jonah Tong, who debuted last year for the Amazins and is 1-2 with a 4.46 ERA, along with a league-leading 52 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. Fellow right-hander Jack Wenninger is the Mets’ No. 5 prospect with a 3-1 record, 1.27 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Wenninger defeated the RailRiders, 5-3, on April 17th. He allowed one run on three hits in 5.1 innings with two walks and five strikeouts. The lone run he allowed was a home run to the since-promoted Spencer Jones.
First baseman/outfielder Ryan Clifford—acquired in the 2023 Justin Verlander trade—is the Mets’ No. 3 prospect. He is batting .252 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs.
Of course, the RailRiders have the New York Yankees’ top three prospects in infielder George Lombard Jr. and righthander pitchers Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez. Lombard (No. 22 MLB Pipeline) is batting just .176 (6 for 34) with 6 singles in 10 games since being promoted to Triple-A, but he does have 12 walks. Lagrange (No. 62 MLB Pipeline) is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in seven starts with 38 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Rodríguez (No. 65 MLB Pipeline) is 1-2 with a 1.38 ERA in five starts with 26 strikeouts in as many innings.
Last week in Worcester, the RailRiders won two of five games from the WooSox, including the series final, 3-2, on a home run by Ali Sánchez in the top of the second inning and a two-run home run by Yanquiel Fernández in the top of the sixth. Zach Messinger worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth by getting a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.
The win was No. 500 in the managerial career of Shelley Duncan — 269 of which have come with the RailRiders. Duncan also has 87 wins from his time in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ organization, with the Hillsboro Hops (2015-16) in the High-A Northwest League; 69 with the Visalia Rawhide (2017) in the Low-A California League; and 75 with the Jackson Generals (2018) in the Double-A Southern League. His overall record is 500-411.
Congrats to Skipper Shelley Duncan on the 500th win of his managerial career, including 269 at the helm of the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate! 🎊
Fernández batted .333 (8-for-24) in five games with two doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs. Duke Ellis and Payton Henry both batted .462 (6-for-13) in four games. Ellis, getting a chance to play in the outfield with Jones called up to the Yankees, had two doubles, one home run, three RBIs, and three stolen bases. Henry had a double and three RBIs.
Messinger and Dylan Coleman each had one save. In two appearances, Messinger worked 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, two walks and three strikeouts. He has not given up a run in his last four outings covering 8.2 innings. Coleman did not give up a run or a hit in 2.2 innings with no walks and three strikeouts.
As a team, the RailRiders have nine saves with eight pitchers recording at least one. Kervin Castro—who spent most of the weekend with the Yankees before returning to Scranton upon Carlos Rodón’s activation—leads with two saves. Harrison Cohen and erstwhile Astros reliever Rafael Montero also did not give up a run in two appearances against Worcester.
Yesterday started with Kyle Dubas praising Bill Zonnon as the 2025 first round draft pick was about to turn pro full time. To say Penguin management is impressed with Zonnon’s habits would be an understatement after the player showed he was going above and beyond to watch and learn the system before even joining the team.
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 13, 2026
Zonnon put that preparation to good use when he scored the go-ahead goal that stood as the game winner in Wilkes-Barre’s 2-0 Game 1 victory over Springfield.
Needless to say the Atlantic Division Finals were not too big of a stage for the 19-year old to make his AHL debut. The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five series against Springfield.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 12, 2026
Sergei Murashov only needed to stop 24 shots, the quantity not sounding like much but it doesn’t tell the whole tale of how good the goaltending was and needed to be. Murashov was deservedly named the number one star of the game and was the best player on the ice all night long, especially during a critical juncture in the second period when he had to be extremely sharp to keep the puck out of the net. What he lacked in total saves that needed to be made was more than made up for by the quality of stops required.
Harrison Brunicke wasn’t too far behind Murashov as far as top-performing players on the night. It has certainly been an unconventional and path-less-traveled type of season for Brunicke. Rocky at times even, in a year that spanned playing games across different leagues, levels and tournaments fromthe NHL. AHL, WHL to the WJC. Based on his play in the AHL playoffs, Brunicke has come out of the storm just fine. His defensive play looks much more confident and steady. His reads and stopping ability have increased, he uses his stick effectively. Overall he just looks like a stronger player whether it’s been boxing guys out in front of the net, tossing them aside from the goalies after whistles or using his body to shield pucks as he carries them. Maybe it was going back to junior and getting the chance to play huge minutes and grow. Maybe a light just went of and he would have been fine by now no matter what happened. No matter how the particulars, Brunicke looks like a different and better version of himself compared to the one who had an AHL conditioning stint early in the regular season.
Tanner Howe scored a third period insurance goal to boost the lead to 2-0.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 13, 2026
In the end, Game 1 will be remembered as the Zonnon debut. Springfield’s goalie, Georgi Romanov has arguably been the early player of the playoffs so far in the AHL. Romanov’s 5-1 record and .954 save% in the first two rounds of the playoffs were a leading reason why the Thunderbirds pulled off upsets over Charlotte and Providence. Romanov had the Pens blanked too until Zonnon made it happen with his goal.
The Pittsburgh organization has to continue to be pleased with how this playoff run is going. Murashov has been stellar, Brunicke is showing out and seemingly growing by the game and now their latest player to join the fray in Zonnon has made an immediate impact to show why they were so excited to get him into their organization. Vibes are strong, all signs pointing in the right direction as Wilkes heads into Game 2 tomorrow night.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on deck against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers are now losers of four straight (again) after falling to the San Francisco Giants 6-2 on Tuesday, but Shohei Ohtani was able to bust out of his slump and was the only redeeming factor for the Dodgers.
Ohtani went 2-4 with a single, a home run and a walk, recording his first home run since April 26, as he was the only Dodger to get multiple hits on Tuesday. With his next scheduled start coming today against Robbie Ray, the Dodgers will have Ohtani get the day off from hitting for the final two games of the homestand as a means to give him some additional time to regather as a hitter, notes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
“For me, with any hitter, when the quality of at-bat starts to go down consistently, I think that’s a telling sign there needs to be a break,” Roberts said. “Because you’re just not able to – whether it’s the mechanics, the mind – just stay within your game plan, and then the chase starts to spike. There’s a workload component with some players, but that are more on the defensive side.”
While Ohtani hit his seventh home run of the season, rapper Ice Cube was on the broadcast with Joe Davis and Orel Hersheiser. Courtney Hollman of MLB.com has more.
Roki Sasaki has continued to display marginal improvements with each start, as before getting ambushed by San Francisco in the top of the sixth on Monday, he had held the Giants to one run over five innings with five strikeouts and just one walk. As the team sees the improvements, it only vindicates them more in seeing the potential with Sasaki as a viable starting pitcher within their rotation, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.
“We definitely see him as a long-term starting pitcher,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently told The Athletic. “We are very firm believers that he has the ability and the upside to be an elite starting pitcher in this game.”
It’s been almost 10 whole years since Charlie Culberson hit his iconic walk-off home run that helped the Dodgers clinch the NL West during Vin Scully’s final broadcast at home. Culberson spoke with Sierra Santos of MLB Network about the home run, noting that Scully was able to sign the bat he hit the home run with.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 30: Khris Middleton #20 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at American Airlines Center on March 30, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Khris Middleton was shipped to the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. Middleton’s inclusion was all about salary. His contract made the money work both ways, and more importantly for the Mavericks, expires this summer. That gives them the financial relief they need as they begin a new era with Cooper Flagg as the focus.
Middleton was a positive for the Mavericks on the court, though. He provided a steadying veteran presence for a Dallas team that spent the entire season in a state of limbo, perhaps even turmoil at times. Some would say he helped a little too much, leading to wins the Mavericks didn’t need, for lottery reasons. Either way, Middleton remained a pro’s pro during his short stretch in Dallas this season.
Season in review
Middleton had a respectable year, his 13th season in the NBA. Over 63 games with the Mavericks and the Wizards, he averaged 10.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He shot 36 percent from behind the arc for the season.
In 22 games with Dallas, he posted similar numbers: 10 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He did shoot better once he arrived in the Metroplex, though, upping his percentage from deep to 39 percent.
Middleton had a chance to be waived so that he could latch on with a playoff team, but ultimately decided to stay on with the Mavericks. Maybe he didn’t get any explicit interest from a contender, or perhaps he and his management are thinking it’ll be easier to get one last deal in Dallas since they’ll own his Bird rights (more on that later).
Whatever the reason, Middleton provided a veteran, highly professional player for Jason Kidd to deploy through March and April. There was no chance the former Bucks star was going to lift the Mavericks, but he played entertaining ball here and there. I’ve always enjoyed Middleton’s game, the slow rhythm of his moves, the quietness to his game. Those 22 games won’t mean much in the long-term, but they were a fun watch, something desperately needed the dregs of the NBA season.
Best game
Middleton’s best game probably came at the worst time if you wanted the Mavericks to drop in the standings. On March 12th against the Memphis Grizzlies, Middleton scored 35 points, shooting 8-of-10 on 3-pointers. He also had a couple steals and rebounds, propelling Dallas to a win over a team just below them in the standings. As a result, the Grizzlies will have just a few more lottery balls than the Mavericks. But it was a fun throwback game from Middleton.
Contract status
Middleton’s contract ends this season. He is an unrestricted free agent this summer, freeing up roughly $35 million of salary for Dallas.
Looking Ahead
The Mavericks will not be prioritizing Middleton this summer. He may find some suitors across the league who think he has something left in the tank, or maybe he chases another competitive situation, albeit in a bench role where rarely plays. There’s a chance the Mavericks bring him back on a minimum or close to minimum salary so they have a veteran around for what will likely be a young team.
Grade: B+
Dallas needed a veteran who could play competent basketball alongside Flagg and eat minutes, and that’s exactly what Middleton provided. This season started weird, got worse, and continued to be a barely functioning wreck, but Flagg developed and had a good enough season to win rookie of the year. Middleton was a part keeping things afloat for the last two months, and that’s exactly what you want from a veteran nearing the end of his career.
WACO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 10: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars reacts during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Foster Pavilion on February 10, 2026 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The team with the worst record in the NBA had never won the draft lottery since the league reformed the odds ahead of the 2019 draft. The Washington Wizards changed that on Sunday, capitalizing on a truly awful 17-win season that featured blatant tanking to earn the type of lottery luck this franchise desperately needed.
The Wizards haven’t won 50 games in a season since 1978-79. That might be the single most pathetic stat in the NBA, but winning the lottery suddenly gives D.C. some hope. Washington already made a pair of bold trades for veterans during the season, first landing Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks, then pulling off a shocking deal for Anthony Davis. There’s already some decent young players on this roster, headlined by 2024’s No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr, last year’s No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson, and jumbo creator Kyshawn George.
If the Wizards nail the first overall pick, they could turn this thing around pretty quickly in the East. What does “nailing it” actually look like, though? Washington will have several good options in front of them. Let’s go through them, and pick the best one.
The Wizards can theoretically throw out a lineup with Anthony Davis at center, Alex Sarr at power forward, Tre Johnson at shooting guard, and Trae Young at point guard. Dybantsa slides in nicely at small forward, and his shot creation could make the whole lineup work. Dybantsa is the best in the class when it comes to manufacturing a good look for himself by leveraging a wicked first step, fantastic driving ability, the power to play through contact, and the length and touch to rise and fire over contests. Johnson’s movement shooting would be a natural fit as a floor spacer, Sarr and Davis could eat inside, and Young could put more focus into his off-ball game, which has admittedly never been a strength.
The Wizards really don’t even need to be thinking about fit. They just won 17 games, and then simply need the best talent possible in the door. If they think that’s Dybantsa, taking him at No. 1 makes sense.
Take Cameron Boozer or Darryn Peterson at No. 1
Cameron Boozer is the No. 1 player on our 2026 NBA Draft board. Boozer’s ability to impact winning has been evident since high school, and he was immediately the best player in college basketball as an 18-year-old freshman. He’s five years younger than the second-best player in college basketball, Yaxel Lendeborg. It took a miracle to keep him out of the Final Four this year. All of that has to count for something. Worry about his athleticism at your own peril, but that hasn’t stopped Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Steph Curry from becoming generational icons. Boozer brings scoring efficiency, extra possessions via offensive rebounding, and playtype versatility that no other prospect in this class can match. Washington should seriously consider taking him at No. 1.
Darryn Peterson was supposed to be the No. 1 pick at the start of the season, but a strange set of injury issues with cramping and soft tissue strains in his lower body dulled his freshman season at Kansas. If you’re pro-Peterson, there’s an easy argument to make that his injury issues shouldn’t be long-term. It wasn’t that long ago that Peterson was dropping 58 points on Dybantsa when they faced off as high school seniors. Peterson’s three-point shooting was much better than advertised when he showed up to Kansas, and if he regains his explosiveness after getting healthy, he could still emerge as the top player in this class.
Peterson spent much of this season as the mainstream No. 1 on most boards. Boozer is the analytics darling who feels like the people’s champ at No. 1. The point is that Dybantsa is nowhere near the consensus No. 1 like Cooper Flagg was last year, and taking someone else with the first pick would be totally fine for the Wizards.
Whoops. You get what you pay for here, and this website is free to read.
The Celtics made a brilliant decision by trading down to No. 3, drafting Jayson Tatum, and setting up a future championship core alongside Jaylen Brown. The Wizards are likely to have a similar option this year, especially with Dybantsa’s connections in the state of Utah. Jazz owner Ryan Smith reportedly helped bring Dybantsa to Utah Prep for his senior year of high school, and then played a role in him going to BYU. I assume the Jazz would take Dybantsa if they had the No. 1 pick, and I think they would be willing to trade up to get him.
Utah could toss Washington a future pick or two to swap No. 1 and No. 2. Utah could take Dybatnsa, Washington would then choose between Peterson and Boozer, and they would get an extra asset or two out of it. The Wizards could also trade with the Grizzlies (picking No. 3) or the Bulls (picking No. 4) depending on which player they really want, and how much they could get back in the deal.
One player is probably not changing the Wizards’ life unless they turn into a future MVP. Leveraging more future assets as the team moves into more of a win-now phase would be smart business if they’re not totally sold on Dybantsa at No. 1.
What should the Wizards do?
If I was running the Wizards, I would make a trade with the Jazz to swap No. 1 for No. 2. I’d get an extra asset or two, then I would take Cameron Boozer, since he’s the top player on my board.
Trading out of No. 1 set up the Celtics for a future championship run. The idea of the Wizards building their own championship team feels comical because they’re the Wizards, but hey, crazy things can happen in the East.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 27: Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns looks on before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.
Player Snapshot
Position: PF/C
Age: 23
Contract Status: Rookie-scale contract, team has a club option in 2027-2028, UFA in 2028-2029 if not resigned
SunsRank (Preseason): 10
SunsRank (Postseason): 8
*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.
Season in One Sentence
In his sophomore year, Oso Ighodaro showed that there is room to grow, but the prospect has the potential to be something special.
By the Numbers
The Iron Man suited up for all 82 games and had some nice stats.
GP
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
STL
BLK
FG%
3PT%
FT%
DEFRTG
OFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
82
22.0
6.5
5.1
2.3
0.9
0.7
65.3%
0.0%
45.3%
109.7
114.8
+5.1
The Expectation
Coming into this year, Oso Ighodaro was expected to continue to grow as a backup big and prove that he deserved to be part of the rotation. Last season, the big man saw sporadic playing time and did not get much burn until the season was dust. This had the fans questioning what his role could truly be on the roster, especially with the front court getting two new additions. Would Ighodaro get lost in the shuffle or rise through the cracks to make a name for himself?
The Reality
Well, Ighodaro definitely proved his worth, even if his role did change throughout the year. To begin the year, he was the big man Jordan Ott trusted the most, getting the start with Mark WIllimas getting to game speed. This was a bit too much for Ighodaro to handle, but who else would they throw into the fray, their rookie? Ighodaro dealt with tough matchups against Nikola Jokic and Ivica Zubac to start the season, and it had fans ready to ship the big man away, not even a week in.
That is where it all started to change for Ighodaro, though, as when Williams returned, he found himself in his true role: the backup center. This is where his and Gillespie’s connection began to brew as the duo quickly realized their pick-and-roll would be a feast for opponents. This allowed Oso to find multiple trips to the boom room and get comfortable in the rotation. He also used his passing to make plays for Gillespie.
Then, towards the end of the season, Ighodaro began to see starts again as Williams was out for the playoffs. Against a dominant OKC team, the Suns were going to struggle anyway, but without their best big, it was just too much size for Oso to handle.
Throughout the season, Ighodaro proved that, in the right role, he can be successful and was a steal at pick 40 last year. He definitely has areas to grow, too, but for someone who did not have high expectations when he was drafted, he has definitely exceeded them in the eyes of many.
What It Means
There is no hiding that I love what Ighodaro brings to this team. I even made a drop for him on Suns Planet Pod because I’m such a fan of his game. He truly is one of those underrated pieces that may not have the stats to show it every game, but gets better in every performance.
Since the Suns have him under contract for at least the next year, I see him continuing to fight in this rotation next season. With the uncertainty of Mark Williams returning, this means Ighodaro could be in line for a starting opportunity, depending on the other offseason moves.
If Ighodaro can continue to improve, as he stated at the end of the year, by working on his areas of weakness, he could truly mold himself into one of the best bench bigs in the association. He already added some size from last year, so if he continues to get stronger and tune his jump shot, as he alluded to, he can find himself getting picked back up on the club option and landing a comfortable extension.
Defining Moment
Oso’s defining moment came early on in the season when the Suns took on the Indiana Pacers. After a struggling start with getting guys fully healthy, the Suns gave the Pacers the belt. Before people knew they would be tanking, the Suns showed they were in a different class than Indiana this year, and a big reason was Oso Ighodaro.
In this game, he posted up 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks while shooting 78/0/60 from the field with a +52 on the court. This is the highest +/- of any Suns player in the play-by-play era and the third highest all-time in the NBA. To achieve something like this, put Ighodaro on fans’ radar, as even though +/- is not the end-all, be-all stat, it showed he could be part of the future in this role.
"Yeah, they brought it up to me."
Oso Ighodaro on Suns teammates noting his +52 in 133-98 win over Pacers.
The +52 is the highest plus/minus by a Suns player in the play-by-play era and tied for third highest by any NBA player in the play-by-play era.
This gave Ighodaro the confidence, as did the fans, in their second-year project, which was looking better than advertised. In a year where the whole team overachieved, it was great to see the young guys participate in that as well.
Grade: B+
Even if he was not a positive every night for the Suns, I would say Oso showed up for most of them. Not to mention that he was Iron Man and played all 82 games this year, with a team plagued with injuries, that is also a positive.
Ighodaro proved this year that the skepticism around him should not be discussed. Yes, there are areas he can grow, but with every young player, there are, and he will specialize in that this offseason. For the year he had thought, he definitely put trust in him and this coaching staff. Something that is not quite seen with many second-round selections in their sophomore season.
Therefore, I think he deserves a B+ rating for showing more positive than negative. If the plan continues for Ighodaro, he could be a staple of this bench unit and continue working with his Big East partner, Collin Gillespie, to torch opposing teams.
When the front office hands you the keys to basketball’s most glamorous franchise, the one draped in 17 championship banners and impossible expectations, you’re not allowed to have excuses.
That is why what JJ Redick has done in his first two seasons as head coach of the Lakers deserves far more credit and respect than he’s getting nationally.
What JJ Redick has done in his first two seasons as head coach of the Lakers deserves far more credit and respect. NBAE via Getty Images
Last-second substitutions aside, let’s be honest about the situation Redick inherited when he was hired back in the summer of 2024.
Redick didn’t take over the 1996 Bulls or 2017 Warriors. He inherited an aging top-heavy, injury-riddled roster featuring a 40-year-old LeBron James and a walking MRI in Anthony Davis. But Redick was still under constant pressure to win every single night. That’s what comes with the job.
Oh, and did we mention he had never coached before at any level?
Not in college, not as an assistant, not in the G League. Nowhere.
Redick went from sitting across the table from LeBron on a podcast talking basketball philosophy, to holding a clipboard and coaching LeBron on the court.
Everyone thought Redick would fail spectacularly.
Redick went from sitting across the table from LeBron on a podcast talking basketball philosophy, to holding a clipboard and coaching LeBron on the court. NBAE via Getty Images
Instead, he won 50 games in Year 1.
Then he followed that with 53 wins in Year 2.
Not since Phil Jackson had any Lakers head coach had back-to-back 50-win seasons, and Redick accomplished the feat in his first two years ever doing the job. That matters.
It matters because coaching in today’s NBA is less about X’s and O’s and more about managing egos, adapting on the fly, and convincing millionaire superstars to sacrifice parts of themselves for the greater good of the team.
Redick already has a long list of coaching accomplishments. He was gifted Luka Doncic in the middle of last season and had to start from scratch on how to get the most out of a roster that had no rim protection. He guided them to the No. 3 seed in the West.
This season, Redick’s greatest coaching accomplishment was convincing LeBron to become the third option. Something he’s never done before.
He was gifted Luka Doncic in the middle of last season. NBAE via Getty Images
“I’ve never been a third option in my life,” said James. “So to be able to thrive in that role…that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career.”
Redick convinced one of the greatest players of all time to be selfless and humble. That does not happen unless a coach has complete trust inside the locker room.
Despite having “three quarterbacks” Redick got buy-in from three ball-dominant creators to find a way to play together. Normally, that’s a chemistry disaster. Instead, it became one of the more selfless Lakers teams in years.
“JJ did an amazing job of fitting all that together,” said Lakers GM Rob Pelinka. “It was incredibly impressive.”
Redick spent two seasons coaching without the benefit of practice days. Without roster balance and without a reliable center. It felt like the Lakers were constantly trying to patch leaks in a sinking boat, while simultaneously racing the fastest teams in the league.
Redick’s decision to switch to zone midway through the season was a great example of adaptability. Early in the season, the Lakers did not have the foot speed to survive in man-to-man coverage. So Redick switched to zone. The players all would later admit that the communication required to play zone sharpened them defensively when they switched back.
It matters because coaching in today’s NBA is less about X’s and O’s and more about managing egos, adapting on the fly, and convincing millionaire superstars to sacrifice parts of themselves for the greater good of the team. NBAE via Getty Images
Now that’s coaching.
And when Doncic and Reaves both went down with serious injuries on April 2, the season should have collapsed right there. Any other team would have folded and started booking their tickets to Cancun.
Instead, Redick recalibrated again.
He shifted LeBron back to the number one scoring option. He unlocked Luke Kennard, and he unleashed Rui Hachimura.
Redick understood Kennard’s game from years of watching him dating back to high school and college. Redick did what nine other coaches couldn’t do, and challenged Kennard to handle the ball, create offense, and make reads off the dribble instead of being a spot-up three-point shooter. The result was a triple-double in his first game. A little over a week later, came a stunning 27-point performance in Game 1 of the first round series with the Rockets that sparked the eventual upset.
Redick helped develop a hesitant and overwhelmed Hachimura into one of the most dangerous playoff shooters the NBA has ever seen. Hachimura shot 56.9% from three during the postseason and looks more confident than at any other point in his career. That’s coaching.
Redick helped develop a hesitant and overwhelmed Hachimura into one of the most dangerous playoff shooters the NBA has ever seen. NBAE via Getty Images
The season didn’t end the way anyone wanted. A sweep is never how you want to go out.
But without Doncic, the Lakers were trying to survive against the youngest, deepest, and most athletic team in basketball. The reigning Champion OKC Thunder.
And that’s not an indictment of Redick. If anything, the fact that the Lakers remained competitive at all says more about him than the sweep itself.
And now, for the first time under Redick, the Lakers will enter the offseason with real financial flexibility and a clearer understanding of their identity. They will have plenty of cap space to spend. They have Doncic as their centerpiece. Most importantly, they have a coach who players genuinely believe in.
Two years ago, everyone mocked the hire, but Redick is no longer a podcast host pretending to coach.
He’s a real one.
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After the Lakers were booted from the playoffs by a younger and faster Thunder team, Luka Doncic reminisced about what could’ve been.
In March, the Big Three were healthy. They had gone on a 15-2 run. They were soaring.
“We thought we were gonna compete for a championship,” Doncic said.
But those hopes dimmed amid a string of injuries to Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique), and ultimately came crashing down against a second-round opponent that was deeper and vastly superior on both ends of the court.
LeBron James was the only one of the Lakers’ Big Three to be healthy for every playoff game. Getty Images
Now a franchise that views anything short of winning a championship as failing needs to hit the drawing board. Lakers’ president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka shared his vision during his exit interview Tuesday.
“Of course, we want that core to be back together,” Pelinka said.
There are a lot of moving pieces for the Lakers this offseason, including impending decisions by free agents James, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard. Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton have player options.
Luka Doncic did not make an appearance on the court in the postseason. NBAE via Getty Images
The 41-year-old reiterated that he’s uncertain about his future after the Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Thunder on Monday. Pelinka said if James chooses to return for his 24th season, the Lakers would welcome him back.
“Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster,” Pelinka said. “That’s a blessing in itself just with what he does.”
For that to work, James would need to agree to a significant pay cut from the $52.6 he earned this season.
James, who averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season, proved that he’s willing to sacrifice and do what’s best for the team after embracing becoming the team’s third option this spring. Would the Lakers be able to find a better “role player” than him? No.
And if James chooses to return, the Lakers would seemingly be the best situation for him considering his family has made LA their home and he has played for the franchise for the last eight seasons.
But before making any decisions, James wants to confer with his wife, daughter and sons, as well as do some introspection over whether he’s still “in love with the process.”
Austin Reaves returned to the Lakers lineup after missing part of the playoffs due to injury. NBAE via Getty Images
As for Reaves, who’s expected to turn down his $14.9 player option to become a free agent, he has made it clear he loves playing alongside Doncic and wants to keep playing with James.
Pelinka anticipates a deal working out between the two parties.
“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said of Reaves, who averaged a career-high 23.3 points on 49% shooting from the field, 36% from deep this season. “And we feel the same way. We want his Odyssey to continue to unfold in the Purple and Gold.”
But if the Lakers bring back their core, do they have enough maneuverability to construct a roster that can compete with top echelon teams?
Therein lies the rub.
The Lakers have three first-round picks and it’s no secret they’re going to try and target Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.
The Lakers were outmatched in their series against the Thunder. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
They’re too top heavy. The Thunder had 13 players who were playing well. The Lakers were lucky if they had six.
“I think depth is really important, athleticism and youth,” Pelinka said. “We have a lot of components of that on our roster, but we need to add to it.”
The Lakers also desperately need to bolster their defense and acquire more shooters who can spread the court for Doncic. Pelinka hopes to find some diamonds in the rough who they can develop.
He pointed to the fact that Ajay Mitchell was a second round draft pick. Mitchell torched LA with 22.5 points a game while also playing lockdown defense in their second-round series.
“There’s ways to add to your roster if you commit to doing the hard work and commit to the process of adding the right pieces,” Pelinka said.
But for the Lakers, everything starts and stops with Doncic, who averaged a league-leading 33.5 points a game, was third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6).
Reaves, who’s expected to turn down his $14.9 player option to become a free agent, has made it clear he loves playing alongside Doncic and wants to keep playing with James. Getty Images
He’s their now. He’s their future.
Pelinka plans to meet with Doncic on Friday or Saturday. He praised Doncic for being open about the style her prefers to play and whom he wants to play alongside.
“We’re in constant communication with him and his team,” Pelinka said of the Slovenian superstar. “I plan on seeing him before he takes off to go home and spend time with his daughters.”
It’s going to be a very active offseason for the Lakers.
Right now there are far more questions than answers.
But this much is for sure: The Lakers are going to need to make some major tweaks to be able to compete for their 18th championship.
“We’ve got to find a way to have a roster that will compete with any team in the NBA,” Pelinka said. “That’s what we do here.”
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ATLANTA, GA OCTOBER 08: Legendary Atlanta manager Bobby Cox gets a hug from current Braves bench coach Walt Weiss (4) after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch of the Major League baseball NLDS game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 8th, 2018 at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Despite the fact that the Braves were back in town and riding high following a successful road trip out West, there was still a bit of a somber feeling at the ballpark ahead of their series opener against the Chicago Cubs. That’s because this was the first time where the organization would be able to honor the memory of both former owner Ted Turner and former manager Bobby Cox — both of whom passed away while the Braves on the road.
As such, this gave some figures around the Braves a chance to publicly spell out some of their memories and takeaways from their time spent with the legendary manager. Walt Weiss spoke with the media (as he usually does) ahead of Tuesday’s game and he had plenty to say about Bobby Cox’s impact on his baseball career.“
“I think everybody’s done a really good job of communicating the legacy of Bobby Cox in the last several days. There’s been a lot of great stories,” said Weiss when he was asked about his thoughts on the whole situation. A lot of confirmation about what a great leader he was and the impact he had on so many people.
Walt Weiss played under Bobby Cox from 1998 through the 2000 season as he ended his playing career as a member of the Braves. He also discussed how he learned from Cox on how to be a leader during those times. “I was honored that I got a chance to play for him for three years. I always tell everybody that I wish everybody in the game could either play for Bobby or work for Bobby for at least one year, just to see how it’s supposed to be done,” explained Weiss. “He was a different type of leader and a different type of person based on the way he treated people. He just created loyalty with how he treated people. That respect always came back to him.”
“He always had great culture,” continued Weiss. “I remember coming in my first year for spring training as a Brave and thinking ‘I don’t wan’t be the one to screw this thing up,’ so you get on board and you do things the way Bobby wanted them done…in ‘99 we lost in the World Series to the Yankees. Every guy in the room felt like we let Bobby down. That doesn’t happen in professional sports. A lot of times, it becomes self-preservation because it’s such a cutthroat business. But he had that kind of impact where when we didn’t play well or in that instance, we didn’t win the World Series for him, we let him down. I don’t know if I’d ever felt that before at this level.”
Weiss’ time playing under Bobby Cox clearly had an impact on how he has operated as a manager and it’s obvious that he has carried a lot of what he learned during that time with him into his current stint as manager. “I said this when I got hired. I was proud that in some way, a small way, that Bobby’s lineage continues,” exclaimed Weiss. “I think that’s really important here. It’s been foundational to the Braves’ success over the last few decades so I’m proud of that. That doesn’t mean that we’re all do the things the exact same way that Bobby did but we are going to do some of the things that he did that are important and that respect this brand and organization. I think that’s important and I’m proud that in some small way, I’m an extension of Bobby.”
Tuesday’s game was televised on TBS (coincidentally but also fitting), which meant that Jeff Francoeur got a chance to be in the house as a color commentator. He also spoke with the media ahead of the game and he took the time to share plenty of memories that he had during his time playing under Bobby Cox.
“The first game I ever got ejected was in San Diego at Petco Park in 2006,” began Frenchy as he started telling a story of one of the more offbeat moments for him — and something routine for Cox. “Bobby comes out and he gets ejected with me — I’ve never been ejected. We’re walking on the stairs, Bobby’s waddlin’ and I ask him ‘Bobby, what do I do? I’ve never been thrown out of a game before,’ and he said ‘Well, go get in the cold tub, have a couple of beers, ice your legs. You’ll probably get fined $500 or $1000, depending on what you said — or you can do what I do which is I just send a $50,000 check at the beginning of the year and whatever’s left over, just give it to charity…he was one of a kind.”
Frenchy went on to talk about how he wasn’t the only former Braves player in the house to pay respects to their former manager. “It’s cool to be here to be able to honor Bobby tonight…we’re having Andruw [Jones] on in the third [inning] on TBS because I want him to tell the story live of when Bobby yanked him out of the game…He’s just a such a respected man, Bobby was. In our first day of spring training, Bobby would get everybody in that thing and he would say that everybody that was on the plane, whatever they were, they were part of the Braves family. Treat them with respect and give them your time.”
Frenchy went on to give Bobby Cox some extremely lofty praise when it came to his opinion of Cox’s impact on the franchise. “This might be a lot to say but I think that the two most influential people in the history of the Atlanta Braves were Hank Aaron No. 1 and probably Bobby Cox as No. 2,” exclaimed Frenchy. “Just the foundation and the way he built [this team], people came here to play for less money and they came here to play for Bobby. I was one of the fortunate ones who got to realize the dream to play for him early on.”
Francoeur went on to tell another story about how Bobby Cox would be faithful to his players. Sometimes it would be to a fault but sometime it would work out like it did for Frenchy in this particular situation. “I was 2-for-26 coming off a road trip and he’s like ‘You’re going to play right field for me and you’re going to bat fifth or sixth depending on the matchups so just go out there, relax and play baseball. It’s what you’re good at, it’s what you do — don’t listen to talk radio or anybody else. Just go out there and play baseball,” remembered Francoeur. “That little two-minute conversation all of a sudden frees me up. My last at-bat that night, I got a bloop single to right at Turner Field. The very next night vs. the Phillies…I had two home runs. I took off, man. He knew how to encourage you.”
It makes sense that when Francoeur was asked to sum up Bobby Cox in one word. It’s a tough task but Frenchy rose to the occasion with a pretty good word, in my opinion. “Loyal. Loyalty was his thing,” said Francoeur. “He would ride and die with you. You wanna know the impact he had? All the guys he had to release, trade, send down…they all still talked about him with reverence. They all talked about him with such respect. I’ve played for a lot of other managers and I loved them but they’re not talked about like that. He found a way to just ride with you to the end.
