Sep 24, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka speaks to a media after a press conference at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While the Lakers have spoken about expanding the front office, only announcing the major moves leaves it unclear how much is happening behind the scenes.
President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka offered a peek behind the curtain of the hirings the franchise has made this offseason while speaking to the media on Thursday.
“Super appreciative of the support of Jeanie [Buss] and ownership to build out and we’ve added over 15 people in the front office to various positions,” Pelinka said. “[We’ve] really built out our strategy and analytics department, have hired two assistant general managers. [We] have more to do and we’re actually continuing to do that.
“Then in terms of player services, as JJ said, we’ve really rebuilt our entire sort of player experience and player development arm. And with that comes new equipment and new recovery and modalities, and we’ve worked with our training department to do that.”
The franchise also hired Rohan Ramadas and Eric Amsler as new assistant general managers. The former will focus on the analytics and strategy side, which Pelinka alluded to, while Amsler comes over from the Heat after being the vice president of player personnel in Miami.
After clearing house of its scouting department last year, the Lakers are planning on building it out more now under Amsler’s guidance.
“I think you guys saw we hired Eric Amsler, who was two decades with the Heat, to kind of see over our player personnel, our draft scouting, our G-League scouting, and NBA scouting,” Pelinka said. “So, we’re going to be adding more scouts in those departments. That’s just one example of a sort of a vertical that will continue to build.”
The catch is that it’s unlikely any of these hirings will be made public. So, again, we’ll have to assume the Lakers are doing the work and, hopefully, see the results in improved scouting in the months to come.
FRISCO, TX - SEPTEMBER 06: David Hagaman #31 of the Amarillo Sod Poodles looks on during the game between the Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Frisco RoughRiders at Riders Field on Sunday, September 6, 2026 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Charisma Jones/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Introduction
With the regular season now over for both Major League and Minor League Baseball, I think now would a be good time take a look at the best individual performance at each position in the Diamondbacks farm system. For the sake of the reader and my own sanity, we’re going to look at just the starting battery and infield corner positions today, otherwise this would be a very long read.
Before I do that, I want to congratulate the D’Backs Double-A affiliate, the Amarillo Sod Poodles, on winning the Texas League Championship. Winning a championship is great for the development of the younger players on the team, especially those who might not have had the best individual season this year. That said, about half the players mentioned in the next few articles will be players on that team.
Starting Pitcher
David Hagaman is the clear and obvious answer for the best starting pitcher in the Diamondbacks farm system in 2026, and the pitcher most likely to actually be named the Dbacks MILB pitcher of the year. There really isn’t much competition, especially knowing the context behind the numbers.
Hagaman, who was acquired in last summer’s Merrill Kelly trade, started the year assigned to high-A Hillsboro in the pitcher friendly confines of the Northwestern League. Across 15 games, Hagaman put up 71⅓ innings with a 3.03 ERA, 4.10 FIP, and 4.15 xFIP. Adjusted for the League that works out to a very impressive 61 ERA- and a slightly less impressive 84 FIP-. His 10.85 strikeouts per nine innings and 28% strikeout percentage are very impressive as well. That alone might not be enough to make him pitcher of the year, but what he did after being promoted to Double-A Amarillo, in the much more hitter friendly Texas League that cemented him as the organization’s pitcher of the year.
Hagaman started seven games, putting up 35 ⅓ innings with a 2.55 ERA, a 3.22 FIP, and a 3.79 xFIP. His strikeout percentage went up to 32.4% and 11.72 strikeouts per nine innings. He also walked less batters, going from 10.7% to 8.5%. In the hitter friendly Texas league, that translates to a 43 ERA- and a 75 ERA-. Hagaman did struggle with walks though in his post season outing in the Texas League division series and the championship to a lesser extent. It’ll be interesting to see if he returns to Double-A next season, gets promoted to Triple-A Reno, or possibly even has a chance at making his MLB debut with a strong showing in spring training. My first article going in depth on Dbacks pitching prospects has a scouting report if you’re interested in reading more about him, which you can read here.
Catcher
Gabriel Moreno has won the NL batting title, which I’m pointing out now because it really helps show just how strong the Diamondbacks organization is right now at the catching position from top to bottom, and how many of them had very good seasons this year, which is how this turned into another multi part series.
The Dbacks reinforced that position of strength after using their first round pick on a well regarded college catcher, Ryder Helfrick, who went on to have a solid professional debut in the Low A level California League. Despite putting up a solid triple slash line of .245/.327/.521 with a 104 wRC+ in just 24 games, that’s just 24 games, so he’s not the All Star here.
Jhosep Villarroel put up eye popping numbers in his 47 games this summer, but he’s also a 17 year old in the Dominican Summmer League, so you have to take these number with a massive grain of salt, which is why he’s not my All-Star but another honorable mention. That said his numbers are REALLY good, it’s just a small sample size and he’s very young. Combined between the two Dbacks DSL teams he hit .303/.500/.485 with a .493 wOBA and a 148 OPS+. Villarroel will almost certainly make his stateside debut with either the ACL Dbacks or Visalia Rawhide next season, which will give us a much better chance to evaluate him as a prospect.
It’s also not Alberto Barriga, who tore up the pitcher friendly Northwestern League for 40 games, hitting 259/.345/.490 with a 113 wRC+. The reason he’s not is that he struggled in the extremely hitter friendly Texas League after being being promoted, hittng just 237/301/362 with .302 wOBA and 55 wRC+ in 57 Games. He’s one of the players mentioned in the intro who I think will benefit a lot from the experience gained in Amarillo’s championship run. Barriga’s probably the most unique of the catching prospects here, so I am really looking forward to seeing how he adjust next season.
Ivan Luciano has a very solid argument based on his above average play in 2026. Luciano spent the majority (85 games) of the season in Visalia, where he hit 264/.375/.441 with .372 wOBA and a 109 wRC+. In the 12 games in Hillsboro after being promoted, he hit .279/.380/.465 with a .383 wOBA and 122 WRC+. Combined across the two levels, Luciano put up a solidly above average tripleslash of .266/.376/.444 with a .374 wOBA and 111 wRC+. One of his teammates (at the beginning of the season) has a much stronger argument based on his numbers, and that’s Carlos Virahonda.
Carlos Virahonda started the year with 48 games in Visalia in which he hit .273/.359 /.508 .383 wOBA and 115 wRC+. He was then promoted to High A Hillsboro and in 50 games, and a in much more pitcher friendly league, where he’d hit .272/.393/.468 with a .391 wOBA and a 127 wRC+. He’d then finish his season playing in four games with Double A Amarillo, where he’d go 4 for 15 with a pair of doubles and a homerun, while getting plunked three times to give him a .267/.389/.600 and a 134 wC+. In 108 games combined across all three levels, Virahonda hit .272/.377/.493 with 18 HRS, a .388 wOBA and a 122 wRC+. To cap it all off, he also had a fantastic post season with Amarillo, playing a key role offensively.
If you’d like to read a more in depth look at the catchers, check out this article from earlier this season.
Third Base
Danny Serretti could have easily been an all-star at second base, but he had slightly more innings as a third baseman. There also really aren’t any other obvious candidates at the position, unlike second base which is just as stacked as catcher, so we’re sticking Serretti here. I had an article focused on Serretti’s background prior to this season, which you can read here if you are so interested.
Serreti spent a lot of time going back and forth between Amarillo and Reno, even coming back to play a key role in Amarillo’s championship. In 74 games in Amarillo he hit 272/.418/.510 with a .413 wOBA and a 124 WRC+. In 35 games in Reno, he hit .316/.421/.513 with a .419 wOBA a .357 xWOBA, and a 129 wRC+. His walk percentage fell slightly from 17.8% to 14.9%, but I’d attribute that to the higher batting average, which is backed up by his strikeout percentage staying within .3% of each other, with Serretti striking out 22.4% in Amarillo and 22.7% in Reno. As a whole, Serretti finished his season hitting 287/419/.511 with 19 homeruns, 11 stolen bases, a .415 wOBA and a 126 wRC+ in 109 games.
The only other third baseman in the same ballpark (at times literally) was LuJames Groover, who was above average in Reno but struggled at the MLB level in 2026.
First Base
Finally, at least for this week, we have another position with a single clear and obvious choice.
Manuel Pena broke out in a big way in 2026, hitting 26 homeruns in 61 games with Amarillo, while also putting up a triple slash line of .311/354/.673 with a robust .428 wOBA and 134 wRC+ in the first half of the season . After being promoted to Reno he’d cool down significantly, but overall in 112 games he would hit .305/.345/.555 with a 108 wRC+ with 31 HRs. The only other first baseman who had better numbers in the Dbacks farm system were Pavin Smith and Tyler Locklear and I don’t think anyone reading this wants to hear more about either player.
That’s it for now! Next time, I’ll look at the middle infield and outfielders.
Today’s guest columnist is Chris Koras, partner and head of sports at Working Capital Partners.
In December 2022, I flew to the Dominican Republic to break a year-long contract stalemate. Our firm represented Rafael Devers. The Boston Red Sox had sent ownership and front-office executives to settle the negotiation directly with the player, hoping relationship leverage would carry the economics. It moved nothing.
We ended the negotiation in writing. Devers would play the season and enter free agency. Days later, facing the credible threat of losing a third consecutive star on the eve of ticket sales opening, Boston moved, agreeing to a record $331 million deal. It worked for one reason: Devers could afford the outcome he was threatening, and the Red Sox could not. Resolve is credible only when you can survive your own threat.
While an individual superstar can force a club’s hand in an isolated free-agency window, the landscape for league-wide labor disputes has fundamentally shifted. Over the past three years, ownership has built a systemic financial wall designed specifically to neutralize that exact leverage across an entire union.
Every negotiation ends at someone’s limit. MLB players are about to go looking for ownership’s, but the ground beneath that search has moved. Ownership wants a salary cap to give clubs long-term certainty over their largest cost. Buyers underwrite predictable margins at higher multiples than volatile ones. The cap is the prize.
Franchise valuations track those long-term economics over on-field performance. Stan Kroenke agreed to buy a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Angels at a record $4 billion valuation—a price that held despite a decade of losing seasons. In modern baseball, parity is a public position; valuation is a fiduciary commitment.
The institutional capital driving those valuations has arrived faster than the market realizes, operating on two distinct fronts: asset equity and debt insulation. Since MLB admitted private equity in 2019, firms including Arctos Partners, Sixth Street and Sportsology have taken minority stakes across 18 of the 30 teams.
Crucially, structures have matured past equity into standing credit facilities. Ares Management lent directly to the San Diego Padres, while Yankee Global Enterprises recently completed a $2.6 billion financing agreement with Apollo Sports Capital to refinance debt and buy out limited partners—all with the December labor expiration and cap proposals already public.
Institutional buyers price a work stoppage as a routine discount rather than a reason to walk away. When a lockout hits, a team’s operating cash flow goes dark, but an owner’s liquidity remains intact through standing institutional bids and private debt.
This insulation changes how ownership calculates risk. A lost or shortened season is a one-time expense, absorbed once. A structural salary cap recurs annually and is capitalized permanently into franchise value at a high multiple. The MLB Players Association estimates the league’s proposed cap changes would cost players over $500 million annually. Applied across 30 franchises trading at revenue multiples, the resulting equity appreciation runs into the tens of billions.
Trading a temporary delay in multibillion-dollar media rights for a permanent reduction in labor costs is a straightforward corporate calculation. The downside got cheaper because it is temporary; the upside got larger because it is permanent.
The players approach this lockout with far less financial architecture. While the MLBPA’s $415 million reserve is impressive compared with the $171 million held prior to the last labor fight, the distinction between the two sides remains structural. A union reserve is a savings account that amortizes—drawn down by legal fees, operations and support for members until it is gone. Ownership’s capital position revolves. It is a bank.
To weaponize this advantage, the 30 clubs have withheld roughly $75 million each in central-fund distributions, amassing a $2 billion liquidity holdback. Conversely, the players’ obligations remain individual, unfinanced and absorbed across 1,200 separate household clocks. A mortgage or tuition payment due in January is paid by an individual household, whether the stadium gates are open or locked.
When traditional lenders decline a career without conventional collateral, alternative capital fills the void—often on terms heavily stacked against young players. Fernando Tatis Jr. took $2 million from Big League Advance as a teenage minor leaguer in exchange for 10% of his future major league earnings, a stake worth $34 million after his contract extension. A judge recently upheld that agreement. When the vast majority of minor leaguers never reach the majors, the arithmetic clears only when the terms on the few who do are punitive enough to fund the rest. Through a long winter, more young players will be forced to sell off pieces of their future just to stay afloat.
Ownership is bringing an institutional balance sheet to a labor fight. Sixty years of union solidarity will be tested by an opponent that no longer needs a baseball season to survive its own demands.
Labor must modernize its financial architecture to counteract this evolution. Relying purely on cash reserves is no longer viable when ownership utilizes revolving institutional liquidity. To retain leverage at the bargaining table, players must establish contemporary financial counterweights, such as union-backed credit lines secured by collective IP and licensing rights, player-driven liquidity funds offering non-dilutive capital to protect younger players from predatory arrangements, and syndicated loan structures to help players maintain household finances through extended work stoppages.
Baseball’s labor pool cannot meet modern Wall Street tactics with a 1970s financial strategy; creating institutional liquidity is essential to preserving player leverage.
Chris Koras is partner and head of sports at Working Capital Partners. He was previously head of baseball at Klutch Sports and an executive at REP1, where he represented the firm’s capital partner, led the baseball division and oversaw its player negotiation operations. During his tenure, REP1 negotiated billions in player contracts and completed a successful sale of the firm.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) is congratulated by left fielder Juan Soto (22) after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. The home run was Lindor's 300th career home run.
WASHINGTON — Francisco Lindor wanted to get it over with before this season concluded.
Hitters seldom go to the plate trying to hit home runs, but Lindor was in that mode Sunday and succeeded. His second-inning blast served as career homer No. 300 in the Mets’ 6-4 loss to the Nationals.
“I wasn’t trying [to homer] the past couple of days, I was just trying to have good at-bats,” Lindor said. “And then today I said, ‘I am going to try to hit a home run.’ It doesn’t work out that way all the time, but today it did. Some way it worked out, so it’s not something I am going to take into next year.”
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) is congratulated by left fielder Juan Soto (22) after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. The home run was Lindor’s 300th career home run. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lindor, who missed two months with a calf strain, finished his season with 21 homers and a .732 OPS.
“To hit 300 [homers] you have got to be healthy for a long time,” Lindor said. “The trainers here, in Cleveland, my people, have helped me a lot to stay on the field. It seems like it’s a day for me, but it’s for all these people that wish me to be better day in and day out that made me better.”
Sean Manaea allowed five earned runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings to conclude his season with a 4.78 ERA.
The lefty said his focus this offseason will be building up velocity. Manaea struggled this season to maintain consistency with his fastball.
“At least having that for spring training, at least from the [start] and then my breaking ball,” Manaea said.
Manaea appeared on the right track at midseason — he had a brutal three months to begin the season — but concluded with a 6.35 ERA over his final seven starts.
“I would say [this season] was a disappointment — we didn’t as a team do what we needed to do,” Manaea said. “I personally didn’t need to do what I needed to do. There were flashes of some really good times. There was also a lot of negative things. Overall, I would say it was a disappointment.”
Carson Benge went 3-for-5 for a third straight multihit game. He batted .462 over his final 10 games this season.
Ronny Mauricio finished his season with a bang: He blasted his third homer in two days.
If that was the end for Max Scherzer, he went out exactly how you’d expect.
The 42-year-old three-time Cy Young winner emptied the tank in what could have been the final start of his Hall of Fame career Sunday, throwing 114 pitches over seven innings in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
And he did it on just three days’ rest.
The eight-time All-Star allowed just one earned run on six hits, walked one and struck out seven in his final appearance of the 2026 season.
“That was amazing,” Scherzer told reporters postgame. “The adrenaline starts kicking in, the fans start getting in, and that’s when I could start feeding off of the crowd here at the Rogers Centre. I really could just reach back and just felt like I was unlimited.”
The game also prompted one memorable scene for the final chapter of Scherzer’s career.
While already at over 100 pitches on the afternoon, Blue Jays manager John Schneider walked toward the mound as if he were finally coming to take the ball.
Scherzer quickly turned him away, which popped the audience at the Rogers Centre.
Schneider instead turned around as the former ace powered through the rest of inning.
“If that doesn’t sum up Max Scherzer, I don’t know what does,” Schneider said afterward.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) exchanges words with manager John Schneider (14) during the seventh inning of an MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Classic Mad Max.
He finished the inning and walked off the mound to a standing ovation, tipping his cap as teammates waited for him outside the dugout.
It looked like a farewell, and it might have been, though nothing is yet official.
Max Scherzer gestures to fans during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Sunday, September 27, 2026. MLB Photos via Getty Images
Scherzer has not announced his retirement and said Saturday that he will wait until the offseason before deciding whether to return for a 20th major-league campaign.
“I’ve talked to everybody in my inner circle, and we all kind of feel the same way,” Scherzer said. “We don’t need to make a decision today. Get to the offseason and just see how things unfold.”
He also noted MLB’s forthcoming contentious labor negotiations between the league and the Players’ Association, which has left many predicting a lockout at least to begin the 2027 season.
“We’ve also got a lot of uncertainty next year with all the labor issues,” Scherzer said, “so you just don’t know how the season’s going to happen or unfold, or what opportunity is going to be in front of me.”
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) hugs first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) after being relieved during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) is separated from New Jersey Devils defenseman Topias Vilen (38) during the first period of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
After entering training camp on the bubble, Matt Rempe — the 6-foot-9 forward known for his crushing hits and fights — found a way to stick on the Rangers’ opening night roster.
That became clear Sunday when the Rangers placed Taylor Raddysh on waivers, clearing the way for Rempe (who isn’t waiver-exempt) and Jaroslav Chmelar (who is) to make the initial 23-man group that’ll break training camp and head to Boston for Tuesday’s opener.
Rempe, who was limited to just 26 games last season after undergoing a pair of procedures on his left thumb, knew he entered training camp with a lot to prove to the coaching staff. And he seemingly did just that, carving out a space with the Blueshirts to start the year.
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) is separated from New Jersey Devils defenseman Topias Vilen (38) during the first period of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
At the Rangers’ first preseason sessions, though, Rempe was just a forward rotating in. He didn’t log the first reps with the fourth line initially. He strung together 14 hits, a pair of assists and two blocked shots during his three preseason appearances.
Friday against the Islanders, when the Rangers treated it like a dress rehearsal, Rempe — who has logged 96 games across the regular season and playoffs, picking up 12 points and 10 fights — skated alongside Tye Kartye and Joe Veleno on the fourth line.
It all marked a return of the healthy version of Rempe, who struggled with shooting and handling pucks in 17 games after the first thumb procedure last season. Before the Rangers’ first exhibition, he last skated in an NHL game Feb. 5.
New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe skates on the ice against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
“You have to acknowledge that he’s missed a lot of hockey, so he’s — to a certain extent, he’s trying to recapture all of those things that help players have success,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Rempe on Friday. “Speed, timing, conditioning, all of those things. … It’s hard to simulate NHL game intensity in a practice, so he played in three games, three out of the four, and that was by design because he’s missed so much.
“Remps has been a big part of this team, and I think the guys really appreciate what he does for the group.”
Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson answers reporters' questions before a game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, Sunday, September 27, 2026.
A year after Dan Wilson led the Mariners to the American League Championship Series, he is out as manager of the club.
Wilson had announced that he would not be returning to manage the club after the Mariners’ season-finale win over the Angels.
“This season has been very difficult, and of course the results have not been what any of us had expected,” Wilson said. “As a result, it was concluded that today is my last day as manager of the Seattle Mariners.”
The Seattle Times reported that Wilson informed the Mariners he was moving on prior to the start of Sunday’s game.
Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson, facing, greets bullpen catcher Fleming Báez (66) after a win over the Los Angeles Angels in a baseball game, Sunday, September 27, 2026, in Seattle. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
The team also confirmed the change in a statement released on Sunday evening, thanking Wilson for his time with the team and saying that after “much discussion” between president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and Wilson, “it was concluded that a new direction is best for 2027 and beyond.”
“I want to thank Dan for his efforts over the past two years and specifically recognize his role in our club advancing to Game 7 of the ALCS in 2025,” Dipoto said in a statement.
“I’ve appreciated the opportunity to lead this team the past two years,” Wilson said in a statement. “While this season has not gone the way any of us expected, I’m proud that the players in the clubhouse showed up each day to try and compete and battle in each game they played. I’m confident that the 2026 season doesn’t accurately reflect the talent, passion and desire of our players and know that bright things are ahead for this group.”
Wilson had been a catcher for the Mariners during his playing career and took the role of manager after Seattle let go of Scott Servais in the midst of the 2024 season.
Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson answers reporters’ questions before a game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, Sunday, September 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The 57-year-old helped Seattle reach the ALCS while finishing the regular season 90-72 and winning the American League West.
The Mariners did not play to the same level of success in 2026 and missed the playoffs with a 76-86 record. He went 187-171 overall.
Wilson said postgame that the club has some interest in moving him to a different role in the organization and he would discuss it with his family.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 24: Devin Booker #1, Jalen Green #4 and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during Media Day on September 24, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Suns basketball is finally back…almost. With Media Day tomorrow, it’s the first edition of Bright Side Wonders for the 2026-27 NBA season, a series where YOU get to be the analysts and share with us writers your fiery Phoenix Suns takes. A weekly series, Bright Side Wonders will publish every Monday (outside of this edition) and is your chance to sound off with your Suns takes to the community!
So without further ado, here are the three main questions we want your thoughts on with media day tomorrow:
Who do you want to hear from most?
A summer full of retaining most of the key players from the team’s surprising 2025-2026 campaign, which Sun or member of the organization are you most interested in hearing from on Media Day tomorrow? While we heard from a few of the younger players during summer league and from Brian Gregory and Miles Bridges during the Summer, who are you most looking forward to hearing from with the offseason coming to a close?
Starting lineup clarity
Before Mark Williams went down, it appeared the Suns starting lineup was going to be Devin Booker and Jalen Green at the guard spots, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges at the forward positions, and Williams at center. With Williams now expected to be out for a majority of the season because of a recent shoulder injury, the door is open for Khaman Maluach, the 20-year-old 2025 lottery pick from Duke, to have a major development opportunity and replace him at the five spot. While he didn’t play much last season, in July he made the All-Summer League Second Team after averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds per game and is considered the team’s best young prospect.
While he’s likely to start with Oso Ighodaro playing as his backup, what would it mean to you and your belief in Maluach if the Suns come out and declare him the team’s starting five tomorrow?
Alignment was last year; what’s this year’s phrase or theme?
Last offseason it became a meme how much the organization talked about having franchise alignment/ Whether it was funny or not, it seemed to work. The team overachieved and added some much-needed continuity after constant roster and coaching turnover in the previous seasons. Now a year removed, what phrase or theme do you want to define the 2026-2027 Phoenix Suns? Continued alignment? Intensity? Grittiness?
On the Suns’ Plate This Week
The team’s media day is tomorrow, Monday, September 28th, where Bright Side will be present and provide live coverage, and then they will begin training camp the following day in preparation for their first preseason game, which will be on October 5th against the Detroit Pistons. Make sure to follow along on Bright Side for the latest updates and sounds from media day tomorrow.
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 30: Mickey Moniak #22 of the Colorado Rockies puts on a purple home run jacket after a first inning solo home run against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on June 30, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through the ups and downs of a full 162-game season, it’s still hard not to be romantic about baseball.
As this afternoon’s game put a bow on the 2026 Colorado Rockies season, we want to hear about the things — big or small — that are on your mind. With the team marking a 15-game improvement and with several young players emerging as core lineup pieces, there were plenty of fun moments and strong individual or team performances.
As we head into the long offseason and immediately start the countdown to spring training, which 2026 memories are sticking with you?
Is it an overall performance? Like Hunter Goodman’s hot start into the home run race, TJ Rumfield making a name for himself in the Rookie of the Year conversation, or Tomoyuki Sugano mastering Coors Field early in the season and getting up to double-digit wins.
Maybe it’s a specific game or milestone? Back to Goodman, seeing him hit his 40th (and 41st) home run yesterday was big. Jake McCarthy had a day back on August 8th, becoming one of a few players with four hits, two homers, and two stolen bases in a game. Connor Norby notched his first career grand slam in the 13-1 win over the Washington Nationals on August 26th. The Rockies being on the right side of a 20-burger was nice too, when they beat the A’s 23-9 out in Las Vegas on June 14th.
Maybe an overall vibes thing? The emergence of the purple home run jacket was a great time.
Was it a Coors Field memory? Attending both the Larry Walker and Todd Helton statue unveiling games are up there for me, as is getting one last hot dog combo from Diamond Dawgs before Joyl Watkins’ retirement after being a ballpark staple for 31 years.
Let’s dwell on some of the good things from the year. Give us your favorite memories, moments, performances, and players in the comments!
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 27: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers reacts to a 6-4 loss against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on September 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Twins 6, Rangers 4
And that’s that.
I wrote that Saturday’s win against the Twins was a reminder of what the Rangers can look like when they are playing well.
Sunday’s season finale, though, was a reminder of what the Rangers looked like overall in 2026.
The starting pitcher struggling physically, unable to give you innings.
A makeshift bullpen leaned on too heavily, that ultimately couldn’t get the job done.
A starting lineup missing a couple of key bats, that was quiet for much of the game before rallying late, only to see the comeback fall short.
Having a chance until the end against underwhelming opposition, but still not being good enough.
It was a minor miracle the Rangers were still in the race until the end. Not just in the race, but in control of their own destiny with a week left to go.
And they lost two consecutive series against teams playing out the string.
The Rangers never quit. You had guys playing hurt, guys battling to get back, a flawed team that hung in there and didn’t give up.
They just weren’t good enough, even in a division where no one finished above .500.
MacKenzie Gore hit 94.4 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.2 mph. Chase Silseth touched 97.5 mph with his fastball. Robert Garcia’s fastball maxed out at 94.6 mph. Tyler Alexander touched 92.2 mph with his sinker. Jakob Junis’s fastball hit 93.8 mph. Jordan Montgomery reached 92.6 mph with his sinker. Cody Bradford’s fastball maxed out at 90.0 mph.
Brandon Nimmo had a 105.7 mph single. Elias Diaz had a 104.1 mph home run. Corey Seager had a 104.0 mph home run. Ezequiel Duran had a 101.1 mph groundout.
The NHL dreams of 27 hockey players at Senators camp will have to wait for another day.
The team released five players outright on Sunday, including defenseman Scott Harrington. Harrington played 68 games for Belleville last season and he's a veteran of 255 NHL games. He was on a professional tryout with the Sens, as were the other releases: Landen Hookey, Luke Mistelbacher, Cal Uens and goalie Vadim Zherenko.
Zherenko seemed to be the plan B in case the Senators lost Leevi Merilainen on waivers. They did lose Merilainen, thanks to a Vancouver Canucks' claim, but the Sens brought in outside help instead, trading for Jonas Johansson. They picked Johansson up for future considerations from Tampa after they sent him to Syracuse.
So Zherenko obviously didn't quite do enough at camp to win the Senators over.
Ten players were loaned to Belleville and everyone on this list is waivers-exempt: Djibril Toure, Oskar Pettersson, Kasper Halttunen, Tomas Hamara, Eskild Bakke Olsen, Matthew Andonovski, Gabriel Eliasson, Lucas Ellinas, Jackson Parsons and Kevin Reidler.
The other Belleville-bound players will have to clear waivers first, including Tyler Boucher, their 10th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Others include Samuel Blais and Philip Tomasino, who had excellent camps, along with Samuel Bolduc, Xavier Bourgault, Philippe Daoust, Ryan Suzuki and Christian Kyrou.
Four players will be headed back to junior for another season. That includes Jaxon Cover (London, OHL), their first round draft pick in June. Other junior players heading back are Louis-Félix Bourque (Drummondville, QMJHL), Adam Nemec (Sudbury, OHL) and Blake Vanek (Calgary, WHL).
So there are now still 29 players remaining on the roster, and the deadline for getting down to the max roster of 23 is 5 pm Monday. So assuming the Sens carry the max, a combination of six players, depending on their situations, will have to be released, placed on waivers, sent directly to Belleville, or placed on injured reserve.
The goaltending is locked in with Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson. Things get good and muddy after that.
The Senators' list walking wounded includes Artem Zub, Jake Sanderson, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele, Andre Burakovsky, and Kurtis MacDermid. Sanderson and Burakovsky both left Saturday's action due to injury.
We also know that Ridly Greig will miss the first two games after being suspended for a sucker punch he threw in last spring's playoffs.
Zub is the only injured player who's officially not expected to be available to start the season. Donovan is still here because injured players can't be sent down.
Beyond that, the list below has the probable NHL roster in bold, if/once everyone gets healthy. Players in regular font are likely still here to fill in.
The only real debate in our projection is whether Carter Yakemchuk did enough to be in the top six. If he didn't, Nikolas Matinpalo would likely be the Sens' sixth D, and because you want Yakemchuk to keep playing, Ben Hutton might be a better option as the seventh defenseman.
Defensemen
Thomas Chabot Jake Sanderson (injured) Artem Zub (injured) Jordan Spence Tyler Kleven Nikolas Matinpalo Carter Yakemchuk
Cameron Crotty Jorian Donovan (injured) Ben Hutton (PTO) Hoyt Stanley
Forwards
Michael Amadio Drake Batherson Andre Burakovsky (injured) Nick Cousins Dylan Cozens William Eklund Warren Foegele (injured) Claude Giroux Ridly Greig (suspended for first 2 games) Shane Pinto (injured) Tim Stützle Fabian Zetterlund Stephen Halliday Kurtis MacDermid (injured)
Hayden Hodgson Blake Montgomery
The roster deadline is here, but injuries have made the Senators’ final decisions anything but simple.
The NHL Network concluded their annual top-50 NHL player countdown on Sunday evening, and unsurprisingly a member of the San Jose Sharks made it into the top five.
Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks' new captain, was named the fifth-best player in the NHL in the most recent countdown, behind just Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and Cale Makar. Celebrini is also the youngest player inside of the top 10 by quite a ways, with the next closest being Quinn Hughes who is 26 years old.
Last season, Celebrini's 115 points were the fourth-most in the NHL and set a new Sharks franchise record, surpassing Joe Thornton's total of 114 during the 2006-07 season. Celebrini also finished tied for fourth in the NHL for goals, lighting the lamp 45 times.
It's no surprise that Celebrini has catapulted himself into superstardom after a pheomenal sophomore season with the San Jose Sharks. Now, it's just a matter of seeing how he can build on it in his third season.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 22: Manager Dan Wilson #6 of the Seattle Mariners waits with Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners after arguing a call with umpire Marvin Hudson #51 during the third inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on September 22, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When news that Mariners manager Dan Wilson would not return in 2027 broke on social media, a significant portion of the fanbase was ecstatic, seeing Wilson as one of the primary culprits in the team’s dreadful season where they fell significantly short of expectations. (The portion that wasn’t celebrating was mostly complaining that the move didn’t also include firing Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto.)
But the mood inside the clubhouse was very different.
“I really haven’t wrapped my mind around it yet,” said Cal Raleigh.
Players were alerted that an announcement might be forthcoming when they got their daily schedule texted to them with an added team meeting prior to Sunday’s series finale, which the Mariners won 7-3. Wilson managed the game, knowing it was his last, including two mid-inning defensive changes to allow fan appreciation moments for both J.P. Crawford and Randy Arozarena, both of whom are set to become free agents this season.
Postgame, he read a statement to the media in which he called it a “very difficult day” – a variation on the oft-memed Wilson phrase “tough one tonight” – and said he was still processing the decision.
“We love this city, we love the community, and we appreciate the organization for what it has meant to the family since coming here as a player in ‘94,” said Wilson, on behalf of himself and his family.
He wasn’t the only one still processing the decision. Bryan Woo, normally one of the most eloquent clubhouse interviews, was uncharacteristically fragmented in his thought process.
“You build a relationship with a guy like that,” said Woo. “It’s really difficult to see him just wear everything this year. I know just by the interactions afterwards and right now, kind of, everyone’s going through the shuffle. The interactions with him and seeing the relationships that he meant to everyone in this clubhouse and the building…yeah, it’s hard to describe.”
“You never want to see people you love struggle, but people that you also know are very high character people, people that you know are about the right things, it goes hand in hand.”
Raleigh was more blunt.
“I feel terrible. I feel responsible. I think every guy in this clubhouse does,” said Raleigh.
For as shell-shocked as players seem to be, though, for most of them, this isn’t their first time seeing a manager fired. They understand the business of baseball.
“It’s a business, and that’s unfortunately what happens when you don’t perform,” said Raleigh.
“Big league managers, you wear so much of what goes on throughout the season,” said Woo. “If the team does well it’s because of the players; if the team struggles it’s because of the coaches or the managers. He wore it so much this year, and it’s tough, man…I think we as a group, we failed him much more than he failed us.”
Taking a slightly different approach on the business side of baseball, Julio Rodríguez took aim at those who consider themselves armchair managers.
“It’s a tough job. I feel like we can all just sit on the couch and think, oh, we can do this, we could have done that. There’s always a lot of things around that. But I think he’s a great guy who helped us get better in different ways. And I will always have love for him, the person that he is.”
Wilson, for his part, didn’t seem surprised, although he was visibly emotional, holding back tears while giving his statement.
“I’ve been in baseball a while, and this is what happens. Managers shoulder the blame, shoulder the responsibility. This is obviously difficult, and my family and I are still processing it.”
Him and his players, both. Today is for processing. Eventually, much further down the road, Wilson will look towards his future – he said there have been discussions of him remaining with the Mariners in a role, maybe similar to the player development work he was doing earlier – and the players will learn who their new manager will be. They hope whoever it is, that person will share some of Dan Wilson’s qualities.
“He always treated me with respect,” said Julio. “That’s how he was with the guys. I’m just happy I got to know him better as a manager and a person too, and I wish him the best.”
When Bryan Woo was asked about his favorite quality about Dan Wilson, he was quick with an answer.
“His authenticity. His genuineness.”
“The only thing that you can ask for in terms of a relationship like that is truth, and that’s what you got from him every day. I don’t want fluff. I don’t want bullshit. I want the truth, whether I like it or not, and he’s always there to give it to you. That’s a huge part. I think it is for everyone, but for me specifically, I just want truth. Whether I like it or not, or whether anybody hears it and they like it or not, that’s a big pillar for sure.”
For the youngest player in the clubhouse, losing the only big-league manager he’s known hits a little differently.
“It’s sad,” said Cole Young. “I had a lot of fun playing for him. Playing for him – it made me want to go out there and give it my all, every single pitch. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but I can say I gave it my all and tried my hardest.”
For the player who has arguably the deepest connection with Wilson, Cal Raleigh has a different set of feelings to process, losing both his long-term coach and likely his longest-tenured teammate in J.P. Crawford.
“You spend so much time with these people and you invest yourself in them – Dan, J.P., these are all people I’ve known since I’ve gotten into the organization. It’s hard. It’s hard turning that page. Both these guys have meant so much to us, and it’s just…yeah. It’s hard.”
It has been a hard one this season. Hopefully whoever takes up the helm of the listing SS Mariner next year has an idea for how to get back on course – but in a way that still feels authentic and genuine, respects the players as people, and inspires players to want to go out and give their all and try their hardest, and doesn’t mind shouldering the blame when and if things go wrong. Tough job tonight (and every night).
The Mets' 2026 season is a difficult one to analyze.
A year that started with World Series aspirations for a roster led by veterans devolved to the point where then-manager Carlos Mendoza was fired at the end of June -- a month before a major trade deadline sell-off jettisoned not only pending free agents but players who were under contract beyond 2026.
Injuries (especially ones to Juan Soto andFrancisco Lindor) were one of the main reasons the season spun out of control, and the freak injury to Clay Holmes in May when the team was starting to find its footing was an extra twist of the knife.
But in addition to the injuries was a whole lot of underperformance and sloppy play. And there were questions in the aftermath regarding whether the Mets simply underwent too much change between 2025 and 2026 -- not just in terms of the players who were brought in but the mostly new coaching staff that oversaw them.
A silver lining was the team's inspiring late-season performance, which coincided with Andy Green taking over as manager (interim and then full-time) and the club having somewhat of a new identity as Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing emerged as key contributors, Zac Thornton made an impact in the rotation, and Kodai Senga shifted to a late-inning relief role.
As the attention shifts to the offseason, president of baseball operations David Stearns and the front office will attempt to assemble a roster that can get New York back to the postseason for the first time since a magical NLCS run in 2024.
Beyond player moves, there are other key storylines to keep an eye on, including a potential lockout that could begin on Dec. 1.
Here are five things to watch...
Is Tarik Skubal a target?
The Mets' failures in 2025 and 2026 can be traced back to a number of things, but chief among them was a lack of starting pitching depth.
It's the main reason the 2025 season went haywire, and it helped cause an insurmountable hole to dig out of in the first few months of 2026.
Heading into 2027, the Mets have two young, homegrown, high-upside locks in the rotation (Nolan McLean and Christian Scott), one veteran who profiles as a potentially solid back-end starter (Sean Manaea), and one intriguing option coming off a successful first taste of the majors (Zac Thornton). There's also Jonah Tong, whose upside remains high despite an up-and-down 2026 campaign.
Aug 17, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
It can be argued that in the last two offseasons, the Mets have left themselves one starting pitcher short. So an ideal scenario this time around would be adding two rotation cogs, including one who can profile at the very top of the staff.
Luckily for the Mets, one of the best pitchers in baseball will be a free agent this offseason.
Skubal, who was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers during the year, will be entering his age-30 season in 2027 and will not be attached to a qualifying offer, perhaps making him a perfect fit for the Mets.
In the past, Stearns signing the top pitcher on the market (who might get the biggest deal ever for a starting pitcher when it comes to both average annual value and total dollars) would be a major upset -- Stearns' reluctance to shell out long-term contracts for starting pitchers 30 or older is real. But Skubal is the kind of pitcher you make an exception for. And Stearns is entering a prove-it offseason.
Perhaps it would take a nudge from owner Steve Cohen for the Mets to go all-in on Skubal, but it's hard to argue against a serious pursuit.
Jorge Polanco, who was signed last offseason to be part of the solution when it came to making up for Alonso's production, had an injury-riddled year that required season-ending ankle surgery. Polanco has one more year on his deal but is a major question mark, possibly making him a DH-only option next season -- if his health allows.
The Mets could possibly turn to Jared Young at first base, but his lack of power (just nine home runs in 103 games in 2026) and struggles against left-handed pitching (.606 OPS against lefties in 2026) are two reasons why that might not be ideal.
With the Mets not having any first base prospects close to contributing in a serious way, their best bet could be the free agent or trade market.
Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Hanshin Tigers right fielder Teruaki Sato (8) gestures during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita - Imagn Images
Of the big league free agent crop, the most intriguing option could be Ty France.
But the highest-upside option is 27-year-old star Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, who is expected to be posted this offseason.
The labor battle and possible fallout
Barring an unexpected breakthrough in CBA negotiations, the owners will lock out the players on Dec. 1.
This could have massive ramifications both before and after.
The expectation of the lockout beginning on Dec. 1 could set off a rash of free agent and trade activity between the end of the World Series and Nov. 30, potentially changing the dynamic of the offseason.
Then there's the result of the expected lockout.
While it would be a huge surprise if the players acquiesce to a hard salary cap, it's likely that the new CBA will have stiffer penalties for teams that exceed the luxury tax thresholds.
That would have an impact on teams like the Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees, and add another wrinkle to this offseason.
Jun 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns speaks during a press conference before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. The club earlier today parted ways with manager Carlos Mendoza (not pictured). / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
The bullpen plan
The Mets traded pending free agent lefties Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter at the deadline, but didn't stop there, as they also dealt Luke Weaver (under contract through 2027) and Huascar Brazoban (under team control through 2029).
With the back end of the bullpen gutted, it provided runway for rookie Nate Lavender and 29-year-old Daniel Duarte to shine. Meanwhile, Dedniel Núñez rounded back into form after some early hiccups following his return from Tommy John surgery. So the Mets have some strong options as they rebuild the relief corps.
It remains to be seen how Senga will be deployed next season, but it's hard to envision a more sensible thing than keeping him in a relief role, where his fastball-ghost fork combo plays up.
Then there's Devin Williams, who has two years remaining on the contract he signed last offseason and might be best suited for a setup role.
As is the case with the rotation, the Mets could use an anchor in the bullpen. Beyond Adrian Morejon, the free agent class isn't rich with elite back-end arms, so New York might have to get creative.
Coaching staff changes coming?
Speaking last week while announcing the removal of Green's interim tag, Stearns said the future of the coaching staff would be discussed after the season.
Of the new coaches added ahead of the 2026 campaign, pitching coach Justin Willard, hitting coach Troy Snitker, and bench coach Kai Correa were the most high-profile.
Since those coaches were hired before Green, and given the early struggles that doomed the Mets' season, it's fair to wonder if there will be changes.
