Striker’s double rescued a 2-2 draw and extend his unbeaten record against sides coached by Gian Piero Gasperini
Gian Piero Gasperini could not keep himself from smiling. His Roma team had just squandered a two-goal lead at home to Inter but as he crossed the Stadio Olimpico pitch to greet the man who had led the visitors’ comeback, his lips formed into a grin.
“He always scores against me”, explained a laughing Gasperini when he was asked what he had said to Lautaro Martínez a short while after. “I told him to stop it! He does it to everyone, though. He’s a great champion, everyone thinks very highly of him, even if he makes all of us suffer.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to a foul ball off his leg in front of Andrew Knizner #19 of the San Francisco Giants and umpire John Tumpane #74 during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Kyle Tucker didn’t start on Sunday, one day after fouling a ball off his right knee, but the Dodgers right fielder insisted that he felt fine. This was more of a chance to pair a rest day for Tucker with Monday’s scheduled off day for the team.
“[The off day] wasn’t planned. I just felt that after he took one off the knee, this would have been 10 in a row for him,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “He’s playing well, played a lot. It’s a chance to give him two days, then six in a row to finish the season.”
The injury was in a much higher spot on his leg than the right shin fracture that cost him two months on the injured list during the 2024 season while with the Houston Astros.
Tucker did pinch-hit in the eighth inning on Sunday, and he’s second on the Dodgers in games played (148), starts (141), and plate appearances (602), trailing only Freddie Freeman in all three categories. Tucker is playing the best baseball of his season at the moment with five home runs in his last 10 starts, hitting .417/.500/.972 since September 9.
Notes
Speaking of playing in the outfield on Tuesday, the Dodgers will likely activate center fielder Andy Pages off the injured list to play in the series opener against the San Diego Padres, after he missed the last 27 games after a fastball broke his left hand on August 21.
Pages at the end of this season will have two years, 155 days of major league service time and will be eligible for salary arbitration for the first time as a Super Two player, among the top 70 percent in service time among major leaguers with two years but not yet three years of service time. MLB Trade Rumors last week projected the cutoff for Super Two players this offseason to be two years, 134 days.
Longtime Dodgers third base coach Joey Amalfitano and knuckleballer Charlie Hough were honored on the field at Dodger Stadium prior to Sunday’s game as the 2026 winners of the the Tommy Lasorda I Bleed Dodger Blue Award. This is the fifth year of the award, timed close to Lasorda’s birthday, which is Tuesday.
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
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Oso Ighodaro
Center, 6’11”, 235 pounds, 24 years old, 3rd season
Oso Ighodaro has had a lot of discussion surrounding his name in his short tenure here in Phoenix. Early on, he was viewed as a potential draft steal as a second-round pick, but fans ultimately had higher expectations. With last year being his first full season in the rotation, the big man is still looking to make a lasting imprint, as others in his role are in the same position.
With the tenth overall pick in Khaman Maluach expecting more leeway, and Mark Williams on the roster as well, the room does seem crowded. That said, Ighodaro has the trust of head coach Jordan Ott to get more burn, especially since Williams suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. This then prompted the team to sign Duop Reath to a training camp deal for insurance, but it also gives Ighodaro more competition and a bigger opportunity ahead.
Now, with training camp starting soon, Ighodaro has a chance to take the starting job and never let go of it if he chooses. He has said he is working on parts of his game to help him make that leap in his third season, and every fan is watching: who is the future center for this team?
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
BLK
FG%
3P%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/-
82
22
6.5
5.1
2.3
0.7
65.3%
0%
45.3%
114.8
109.7
5.1
The Suns’ big man was the true iron man for this squad, as he was the only one to register minutes in all 82 games this year. This is kind of an anomaly in the Valley, as we have seen the injury bug strike a bunch recently, so Oso dodging it is quite a miracle. With him available for every game, he could build momentum early, especially with Williams being out during the preseason and the first few games.
Unfortunately for Ighodaro, he ran into top-tier big men in Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Jokic early in the year, and those proved to be tough battles from the jump. This prompted many fans to turn on him and switch their stance from “draft steal” to “not needed.” Fortunately for Ighodaro, he didn’t let that get in his way in his sophomore season.
He proved that when Ott trusted him in big-time minutes, he could deliver, and he quickly formed a strong pick-and-roll duo with guard Collin Gillespie. This connection helped him on the court by letting the bench unit generate easy looks and points on these plays. With this tandem on the court, they elevated the bench play and brought promise to both of their games in this new system.
Contract and Roster Construct
Ighodaro is in the third year of his rookie-scale contract. He signed a 4-year contract just shy of $8M when he was drafted a few years back. Next year, he is on a club option, allowing the team to decline it and sign him to a comfortable extension or bring him back for just under $ 2M as they work out whether he will be part of the future.
Regardless, it seems he will remain in Phoenix, as the contract is too good to pass up; the extension will depend on how well he does this year.
What He Brings
Ighodaro brings a lot to the bench unit as a complementary big man who helps in most areas. His strengths, though, are definitely his passing and strong defensive utility. The big is truly one of the league’s better passers, and that is why his connection with Gillespie is so influential to their success. He is a very smart basketball player with a great IQ for knowing what to do or where to be in certain scenarios. This is why Ott does trust him and can see the light at the end of the tunnel for Oso.
He is also a sound defender who, with his high IQ, knows how to do it well. He can be a solid rim protector and block shots; he can switch and guard on to smaller defenders and be solid on the perimeter. He has quick feet and can match those who try to beat him to the basket. These areas prove he has a role in this league; it just may not be the grand one everyone envies.
What Does He Need to Improve
His shooting. Flat out in every area, he has to be better at making his shots. The big man has shied away from taking threes, which has limited the plausibility of having a stretch five here lately. Malauch has been working on it (and we have seen the growth), but Ighodaro also has to attend that camp alongside him. This truly limits his ability to grow as a player, so not having it in his bag limits the potential he can reach.
Not to mention, he is also a terrible free-throw shooter. Last season, opponents sometimes played “Hack an Oso” late in games, and it cost the Suns their lead or their ability to get back into the contest. This is one area of his game that Ighodaro knew he needed to improve this offseason and has been working on.
If he can at least pick up his free-throw shooting, then it is not a catastrophe if he is left in the game for a crunch-time moment. If the Suns are injured and need Oso (like they are now), this needs to be something they can bank on. As much as we want to see Malauch get more time, we can not throw him recklessly into the fire this season if we were against it last year. That means Ighodaro has to be more of a vet in this space and be ready for these moments.
Prediction
As I said last year, Ighodaro will have a bigger role than people anticipated heading into this season once again (even without the Williams injury). Even if he is relegated to the bench at some point this year, he will show he can be a solution at center for years to come and become a staple for fans.
Ighodaro has a lot to prove this year, as he can earn a long-term extension if everything pans out this season. Now, with Malauch behind him, he needs to earn a real role, but he doesn’t need to be the best in the building. As long as he shows he can keep growing and be someone worth investing in, he will find himself a nice paycheck from Mat Ishbia and crew, which will bring a smile to his face and mine.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 29: Gary Trent Jr. #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against Kris Dunn #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 29, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hoo boy. OK, so the obvious place you have to start with Gary Trent Jr. is his contract. It is the elephant in the room. There’s natural resentment toward Trent because of the contract. I get that. However, to me, the ire of fans shouldn’t go toward the player; it should go toward the GM, who—in his flailing desperation to put the best team possible around Giannis last offseason—made a deal with the devil that could have much harsher implications than simply having what is, for all intents and purposes, $64m of dead money on your cap over the next four seasons.
Selfishly, I hope the league cannot prove a handshake deal was made and thus chooses not to prosecute, but as I understand it, they don’t need to. All the NBA needs to deduce is that, aside from cap circumvention, there is no other reasonable conclusion for why one of the NBA’s worst players last year inked such a lucrative deal. Look, there are smokescreens Jon Horst can throw out that are at least somewhat plausible—“he took minimums to play with Giannis, and now the Bucks have cap space and have to spend it on someone”—but none of them pass the smell test. That said, I also want to highlight that the “take consecutive minimum deals to get early Bird rights and then sign a big contract” tactic has been used by everyone over the years; GT’s deal just stands out more because he played so poorly the season before signing it.
In any event, it happened, and we will see what transpires from here. If the Bucks are penalised—and especially if the penalties are severe—Horst should be on thin ice; it’s tough to have much faith in his decision-making after this whole fiasco (if it wasn’t before that). Now let’s move on to the basketball side of things. As has been well-documented, Trent is coming off what was essentially his worst year in the league last season. Other than his rookie campaign, the 27-year-old has never had a worse shooting season. He averaged just 21.8 minutes per game—also the lowest since he was a rookie—and even spent stretches out of the rotation completely. Anecdotally, Trent’s defensive effort and engagement were some of the worst I’ve seen—and it’s not as if the bar for him was all that high.
Having said all of this, it’s worth mentioning that the team was a complete and utter mess all year—both on-court and off it—with Doc Rivers constantly switching up the starting lineup, rotations, etc. One could be forgiven for failing to find a groove amidst that mess. Crucially, Trent isn’t a player who thrives regardless of context; he’s at his best when he plays off elite talent and knows where his looks are coming from, which was far from the case last year. And to top it all off, there was some pseudo-tanking going on towards the back end of the year as well, which wouldn’t have helped.
Let me say this: I feel confident that in a more settled environment where the team 1) understands what is trying to be achieved from an on-court standpoint, and 2) doesn’t have to deal with rampant off-court drama, Trent will revert to the mean somewhat. Now, will he play to the level that he ends up being worth the coin he’s earning? There’s just no way; that contract is a howler. All I’m trying to say is that this man isn’t as bad as he played last season. He’s just not. This will be a bounce-back season for the eight-year vet—you heard it here first.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Ja'kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his first two seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Ja’Kobe Walter has put up solid numbers. His rookie campaign saw him average 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in 20 minutes of action. He followed that up with a sophomore season averaging 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in similar floor time.
It’s easy to panic when looking at the slight decrease, but in reality, the slight drop isn’t concerning at all. The opposite actually. Despite a marginal decline, there was actually a drastic increase in his efficiency. His field goal percentage climbed from 40.5% his rookie year to 44.6% his sophomore season. Considering exclusively long range shots, that goes from 34.9% to 40.9%.
He was actually making more of the shots he was taking, even though he wasn’t taking as many.
And this is where Ja’Kobe’s biggest value to the team lies. He may not get a ton of shots every night, but he will make the ones he does get.
October vs. April
Early on in the season, some fans were raising concerns over the decrease in the offensive abilities of Walter, amongst some of the other young Raptors. To some extent, the numbers were worrying. Shooting below 29% from long range on barely 2 points per game, the start of the season looked rough for Ja’Kobe. He showed some gradual improvement, but prior to the All-Star break, he was scoring 5 points per game and only 35% from long range.
There was a steady improvement upon returning though, and by April, he was shooting 50% from 3-point range and scoring almost 10 points a game. His post-season was solid too, as he managed two 20-point appearances in the seven playoff games the Raptors had.
This shows the continuous effort and development not only throughout the season, but also holistically as a player.
It has to be everyone’s hope that he will continue on this trajectory.
The 3-Point Shooter
Floor spacing is a commodity in the NBA that teams will pay top dollar for. It’s not a positional skill anymore either, with even centers developing an outside shot.
This is an area that Toronto has struggled in the last few years. They’ve brought a few people in over the years like Bruce Brown and Ochai Agbagi, took chances with draft picks like Gradey Dick, and even tried to develop their own players, but nothing has looked more promising than Ja’Kobe Walter.
Ja’Kobe started in the same spot everyone does, by developing a solid corner 3-pointer:
He shoots about 50% from both corners, more than 12% better than the league average. His teammates clearly trust him out there, as they continue to feed him the ball. More than 99% of his 3-point shots were assisted. He’s not creating the shot entirely on his own, he’s creating opportunities, and capitalizing on them. He’s almost as good from the left wing, where he is also significantly better than the league average:
It’s clear he’s found his niche. In his rookie year almost 37% of his shots were inside the paint, where now less than a quarter of them are. They’re not coming from the midrange either, where only 1% of his points are generated. Ja’Kobe is developing his long range game from every location on the floor. It’s not situational either. He is happy to get out in front of the action or trail and wait at the top of the arc for a long range opportunity:
While he is predominantly a spot-up shooter, he’s starting to find ways to be incorporated in more complex actions that involve single and double screens for him to get open from almost anywhere:
If he continues to excel as a long range shooter, he could be one of the Raptors’ most valuable pieces, either as a starter, or coming off the bench. His ability to spread defenses out to open up space for guys like Kawhi, Scottie, RJ, and Poeltl who all like to operate in and around the paint could be crucial for Toronto’s success this season.
The (not) 3-point shooter
With the Raptors’ continued push towards ball movement under Darko Rajaković, everyone has seen some dramatic changes. Across the board, almost every Raptor has seen a significant drop-off in the points they’re scoring unassisted. Scottie’s unassisted scoring fell from 50% to 40% in only one season, while Barrett, Quickley, and Walter all simultaneously saw similar >10% drops.
Once teams find out how good you are at shooting, noting that your team keeps finding you, they’re going to start running you off the line. Ja’Kobe is showing the ability to adjust to this, and score anyways:
This movement makes him harder to guard outside the arc since he isn’t relying only on that shot. He’s becoming more versatile and adjusting to what defences are giving him. If they are giving him the long range shot, he’ll take it. If they’re not, he’s happy to find other ways to score.
The Clutch Scorer
Close games are never an easy thing for a young player to navigate. Even tight possessions can wreak havoc on players’ shooting splits, as the added pressure can greatly affect performance. Already as a sophomore this didn’t seem to bother Ja’Kobe though, as he led the team in 3-point shooting efficiency with less than 4 seconds on the shot clock. Shooting 9-for-24 in those circumstances, he’s pretty young to already have the confidence and ability to knock down shots like that. Despite how poorly a possession can go, having someone you can kick the ball out to as a last option and actually have them convert it is invaluable.
Ja’Kobe is starting to prove he can be that guy.
The Perfect Fit
Besides ball movement, the Raptors also capitalize on fastbreak points and defence. When Ja’Kobe is on the floor, 1.3 of his points per game (almost 18% of his scoring) comes from a fastbreak. Most of these are generated off of steals, which he is continuously getting better at as well. When he’s on the floor, he accounts for almost 26% of the Raptors’ steals.
He fits their system and is continuing to develop within it.
Next Steps
Ja’Kobe has now had a fairly long summer to work and develop. There’s already been a few videos surfacing online showing some of the work he’s been doing, but it’s pretty clear that his development, skills, and fit within Toronto’s system will make him a huge asset that they’re willing to invest in.
What would benefit him more than anything else is continued defensive development. In his rookie season, he held a 111 defensive rating. That improved marginally to 110.7 this past season. He’s not necessarily a liability, but there is definitely room for improvement.
He also needs to continue to develop his shot from the right wing, the only spot in 3-point territory that he has been struggling.
While small goals, hopefully those were his points of focus over the summer.
Ja’Kobe doesn’t need to be able to do everything, but if he can defend and continue to be a scoring threat from anywhere beyond the arc, he could help the Raptors be a championship contender, providing space for everyone else to operate, and knocking down crucial baskets when he’s needed.
Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) and twin brother Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) stand on the court during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Athleticism is not a blanket term when it comes to its application in NBA games. There are a thousand different ways athleticism can manifest itself on a basketball court beyond slamming home an alley-oop. These days, it feels like NBA teams are looking less at how a player tests on their max vertical leap, and more at their balance, deceleration, and body control. I realize the incoming exercise is a bit silly for this reason, but I’m going to do it anyway.
A year ago at this time, we previewed the best shooters in the NBA. While that list doesn’t feel like it’s changed much over the last 12 months, any look at the sport’s best athletes has significantly more fluidity. Zion Williamson, Aaron Gordon, and Zach LaVine would have been a lock a few years ago, but they aren’t on this list today. It might seem obvious that someone like Ace Bailey should have been on this list a year from now, but he was one of the final cuts this year.
With the start of the 2026-27 NBA season just around the corner, here’s our list of the best athletes in the NBA. The focus here was mostly on explosiveness. Who did I overlook? Leave your snubs in the comment section below.
Amen Thompson, G, Houston Rockets
Thompson was one of two players to dunk 200+ times last season despite being only 6’7 and lacking a jump shot that defenses have to respect. The 23-year-old should be a staple on All-Defensive teams moving forward, and his ridiculous explosion gives him a strong foundation to continue to develop his skill level offensively. I predicted Thompson would be the most athletic player in the league from day one when he was entering the 2023 NBA Draft, and I think I nailed it.
Ausar Thompson might be a tenth of a step below his twin brother in terms of burst, but he’s still an overwhelming athlete on the wing for the Detroit Pistons. He could be the scariest on-ball defender in the league going forward while also being excellent as a defensive playmaker away from the ball.
VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers
It was easy to see Edgecombe was going to be a freak athlete during his one year at Baylor, and he’s already making game-breaking plays in the NBA after one year in the league. It’s going to be fascinating to see how he’s deployed as the Sixers’ fifth option this season.
Daniels is perhaps the NBA’s best thief on the defensive end, setting several age-based steals records during his first season in Atlanta in 2024-25. He can’t shoot at all, but his athleticism still makes him a pretty decent offensive player with his ability to hit the glass and fly in transition.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat
Adebayo is a wrecking ball defensively in the middle of the Miami defense with rare mobility for a player who is so strong with such a low center of gravity. His intersection of size, strength, quickness, and explosiveness allows him to play so much bigger than his size, and serves as the foundation for one of the NBA’s best overall defenders.
Beringer basically got redshirted by the Wolves as a rookie last season, but he has some ridiculously fluid highlights for an NBA center whenever he steps on the floor. Minnesota will be counting him on him to backup Rudy Gobert this season, and I bet he’ll produce some spectacular moments.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Miami Heat
Giannis is the oldest guy on this list at age-31. He still has incredibly rare movement ability for his size. It will be fascinating to see how he ages into his mid-30s with a game so dependent on being the biggest athletic freak around.
Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors
Barnes has become one of the best forwards in the league, and he could be primed for an All-NBA season next to Kawhi Leonard this year in Toronto. He’s so long and strong and mobile, and plays with a ferocity on the glass, all of which should make him an annual contender for an All-Defense spot. I can’t wait to see Barnes, Leonard, and Collin Murray-Boyles defend together.
Kel’el Ware, C, Milwaukee Bucks
Ware is a great lob threat with a huge catch radius and crazy bounce for a 7-footer. Helping Ware put it all together will be one of the top objectives of new Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins after the Giannis trade.
Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs
I wouldn’t keep Wemby off this list. Guys who are 7’5+ are usually statues, but Wembanyama is ridiculously flexible and fast. There’s never been anyone like him before, and his overall athleticism is a huge part of the appeal.
AJ Dybantsa, F, Washington Wizards
Dybantsa is truly a quick-twitch athlete at 6’9, 220 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan. His wicked first step and explosion around the rim is going to make him an elite scorer before long.
Ron Holland, G, Detroit Pistons
Holland hasn’t really established himself yet as he enters this third season, but his crazy explosiveness makes him one of the league’s better per-minute wing defenders and a great transition scorer. He may have too much overlap with Thompson as non-shooters to make it in Detroit, but if the Pistons move on, some team should be willing to take a chance on him as a “second draft” type. Read my feature on Holland’s journey to the NBA here.
Minott has been a super disruptive defender who flies in the open floor and can jump out of the gym when he gets the chance. He’s improved his shooting and handle enough to get a real chance this season in Brooklyn.
Castle looks like a linebacker playing basketball, only there’s never been a linebacker who could detonate one of the greatest tomahawk dunks of all-time in the NBA Finals. Like many of the players on this list, he’s another great defender and poor shooter. The Spurs should hope he can cut down on the turnovers as much as improve as a shooter.
Peyton Watson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Watson is the platonic ideal of a toolsy wing who needed to grow into his body and his game. He took some strides over a small sample last year with the Nuggets, and now the Cavs are betting big on him to help take their team to the next level.
Ja Morant, G, Portland Trail Blazers
I was on the fence about putting Morant on this list, but ultimately still believe he’s one of the league’s most explosive guards. I kind of hate the fit next to Damian Lillard in Portland this year, but at the same time Morant still feels like a good bounce-back candidate after a couple disappointing seasons.
Buzelis finished No. 7 in total blocks last year while also crushing 79 dunks in 77 games. Him and Wembanyama were the only players in the NBA with such a lofty intersection of dunks, blocks, and made threes.
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons
Duren looks like he was cut out of stone as a 250-pound big with a 7’5 wingspan and rare explosiveness. He crushed 189 dunks last year, fourth most in the league, but his athleticism often shows up in more impressive ways when he’s attacking off the dribble.
OG Anunoby, F, New York Knicks
Anunoby still deserves a spot on this list at age-29. He plays with great balance on both ends for someone with such a strong frame. His tip-in to win Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be replayed for as long as the NBA exists.
Derrick Jones Jr., F, Los Angeles Clippers
Jones felt like the most explosive guy in the league in his young days, and he’s still a freak at age-29. He won the 2020 dunk contest, and not just because Dwyane Wade rigged it.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Jackson Chourio #11, Garrett Mitchell #5 and Luis Lara #18 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after a 1-0 victory against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to week 26 of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!
1. Milwaukee Brewers (98-58); 5-1 this week; Clinched NL Central
The Brewers just keep rolling, with another 5-1 week as they took two of three from the Pirates in Pittsburgh before sweeping the Orioles on the road, guaranteeing a winning road trip with three games to go.
Jackson Chourio, Bo Naylor, and William Contreras all homered this week, while Joey Ortiz led the team with seven hits, including a double and a triple. It was a fairly balanced attack overall, as 12 players had at least one RBI, led by three apiece for Chourio, Christian Yelich, and Cooper Pratt.
Robert Gasser led the rotation with one of the best starts of his young career, working seven scoreless in a 1-0 win on Saturday night, allowing just three hits and three walks while striking out a pair. Jacob Misiorowski made two short starts, totaling eight scoreless innings with a team-high 11 strikeouts. Shane Drohan, Chad Patrick, Antonio Senzatela, Garrett Stallings, and Abner Uribe all had scoreless weeks for the bullpen, totaling 13 2/3 innings with 17 strikeouts.
Milwaukee now wraps up the road trip with three games in Philadelphia before returning home for three games with the Cardinals next weekend.
2. Chicago Cubs (87-69); 4-2 this week; Magic Number of 1 for NL Wild Card
The Cubs had a solid week against the Braves and Reds, taking two of three from both to move to 87-69 on the season and putting them one step closer to clinching a playoff spot, as their magic number sits at just one, meaning they need a win or a D-backs loss to lock things up.
Pete Crow-Armstrong is just stat padding his NL MVP victory at this point, slugging four homers, swiping two bags, and driving in nine as part of a 10-hit week to lead the Cubs. Six others added a homer apiece, including Michael Conforto and Seiya Suzuki, who each had six hits on the week.
David Peterson, Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, and Matthew Boyd all turned in solid starts this week. Peterson led the way with a pair of victories, allowing two runs over 12 innings with 14 strikeouts, while Imanaga went six innings with one run allowed and eight strikeouts. Gausman went 5 2/3 innings with two runs allowed and six strikeouts, and Boyd went five innings with two runs allowed (one earned) and four strikeouts. Daniel Palencia, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar, and Ryan Zeferjahn totaled 7 1/3 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out eight.
Chicago closes out the regular season with a three-game set at Wrigley against the Marlins before visiting the Red Sox for three games over the weekend.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (79-77); 4-2 this week; Eliminated from Postseason
The Pirates started the week with a pair of losses against the Brewers but bounced back to win four straight, salvaging the finale against Milwaukee before sweeping the Royals.
Brandon Lowe slugged four homers and drove in eight this week, while Oneil Cruz and Rafael Flores added two homers each. Konnor Griffin tied Cruz and Flores with nine hits this week, with three doubles and four RBIs.
Wilber Dotel turned in the best week among Pittsburgh’s “starters” as he worked as the opener and made two relief appearances, totaling 4 2/3 innings with one run allowed and four strikeouts. Brandon Eisert, Antwone Kelly, Mason Montgomery, and Yohan Ramírez combined for 15 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, striking out 17, with Montgomery picking up three saves.
Pittsburgh wraps up the regular season with three games against the Cardinals at PNC Park before three games in Detroit against their interleague rivals.
4. St. Louis Cardinals (76-80); 2-4 this week; Eliminated from Postseason
The Cardinals had another rough week, going dropping two of three to both the Giants and Nationals to wrap up their home slate for 2026.
Iván Herrera helped guide St. Louis to a win on Sunday with a pair of homers as part of a six-hit week, while Leo Bernal and Alec Burleson also homered this week. Bernal also led the team with nine hits, driving in four.
Quinn Mathews turned in a pair of solid outings, totaling 13 2/3 innings with four runs allowed and 11 strikeouts. Matthew Liberatore also had a quality outing, going six frames with one run allowed and two strikeouts, while George Soriano and Ryne Stanek led the bullpen, totaling 2 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
St. Louis spends the last week of the season on the road, as they’ll visit the Pirates and Brewers for three games apiece.
5. Cincinnati Reds (72-84); 2-5 this week; Eliminated from Postseason
The Reds are just waiting for the 2026 season to come to a close, as they’re coming off yet another rough week, losing three of four to the Dodgers and two of three to the Cubs in their final homestand of the season.
Elly De La Cruz led the offense with two homers and a double as part of a seven-hit week, also swiping three bases. JJ Bleday, Dane Myers, and Sal Stewart also homered, with Stewart’s six hits ranking second on the team.
Andrew Abbott had the best start of the week, which isn’t saying much, as he went just 4 2/3 innings with one run allowed and five strikeouts. While the rotation had a rough week, the bullpen fared much better — Tejay Antone, Graham Ashcraft, Brock Burke, Luis Mey, Emilio Pagán, and Tony Santillan totaled 15 scoreless innings, striking out 15.
Cincinnati closes out the year on the road, visiting the Braves and Blue Jays for three games each.
Apr 6, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Peyton Pallette (41) during the sixth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
“I feel bad for the guys because they really competed hard and we could have won all three games,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “In games like this, people always remember the big hit late in the game, but usually these games are won or lost earlier, and we didn’t capitalize on some opportunities. It was a tough weekend and a tough road trip. We didn’t play our best.”
“We go with Cruzy there and we really have a lot of confidence in him,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters in Pittsburgh. “He’s been throwing the ball well and Lowe just had another big hit for them.”
Jaylon Thompson writes the Vinnie Pasquantino capped off a hot series with a pinch-hit home run.
Captain Salvador Perez started Sunday’s game at first base. The Royals are rotating Pasquantino, Perez and Jac Caglianone in the batting order down the stretch. Pasquantino made the moment count. He finished 5-for-9 in the three-game series and has now homered six times in his last 20 games.
“My role is changing a little bit, so trying to get use to that,” Pasquantino told reporters in Pittsburgh. “Felt pretty comfortable. You kind of know in those situations you want to be aggressive. You want to try to get a good pitch to hit. See the situation in the game and try to make something happen.”
However, Kansas City’s loss didn’t completely dampen the evening for Jensen. The 23-year-old catcher’s 25th home run, a solo shot off fellow rookie Bubba Chandler in the third inning, set the franchise single-season rookie record. Bob Hamelin had previously held the mark since 1994, when he connected 24 times in a strike-shortened season. Hamelin, known as “The Hammer,” won the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
“It means a lot to me,” said Jensen, who’s enjoying a milestone-filled season in the leadoff spot. “There is a lot of hard work that is put into this. I don’t think this is the end of my story. I’d like to think that it’s just the beginning. It’s been a really fun ride, especially to take it with such great teammates and coaches.”
Lamkin showed signs that a breakout was coming in his first Spring Training, and he carried that into the season by moving past High-A Quad Cities after only six starts and striking out 15 over 11 1/3 innings in his first two Double-A starts. His regular season ended there with a shoulder strain, but he’d shown enough when healthy to become Kansas City’s third-ranked pitching prospect. He’s slated to appear in the Arizona Fall League, and his 91-94 mph fastball and 80-83 mph slider (the latter of which had a 55 percent whiff rate in ‘26, per Synergy) along with his above-average control will gain a bigger audience.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 19: Todd Helton looks on after being presented with a bronze statue prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, September 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Purple Row!
After gathering feedback and doing some deliberating, we’ve decided to make last week’s Rockpile experiments permanent. Since the minor league season has ended, today will be the final daily Pebble Report, but we will continue to post a separate links roundup every morning.
Once the MiLB season starts up again, we will see if we want to keep the links separate or fold them back into the Rockpile. But that’s a future Purple Row problem.
In the meantime, here’s what’s going on with the Rockies and around MLB. (It was a busy weekend!)
Rockies News & Links
Feltner growing into new ‘piggyback’ role after Sugano’s strong start | MLB.com — Ryan Feltner competed with Chase Dollander during spring training for a chance to make the starting rotation. Feltner beat out Dollander for the rotation spot, but as the season has gone on, Feltner has been used out of the bullpen twice (three times after yesterday’s game). And both times have been his best outings of the season. Thomas Harding asks the ‘cerebral right-hander’ for his thoughts on his new potential role, as the Rockies continue their pitching experimentation.
Rockies slugging prospect Condon caps career year with Triple-A homer (of course!) | MLB.com — Charlie Condon (No. 2 PuRP) has had an up-and-down (though mostly up) season in Triple-A after making a case for himself not only to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, but also to be promoted numerous times throughout the season. He ended his season on a high note, though, with a home run in the final game of the season. Look for my end-of-season interview with him as tomorrow’s Pebble Report Spotlight!
Zac Veen’s discipline implies career revival is on the way with Rockies | Denver Gazette ($) — Zac Veen was recalled to the Rockies in mid-August and has been performing much better at the big-league level than he did during his first cup of coffee in 2025. Kevin Henry chronicles Veen’s mini-renaissance and looks towards the outfielder’s potential future with the franchise.
Umpire Laz Diaz calls out ‘nasty’ MLB climate as he ends storied career | USA Today — Laz Diaz is one of three umpires who are retiring at the end of 2026 after taking a buyout from MLB. The others are Angel Hernandez and C.B. Bucknor. Bob Nightengale got an exclusive interview with Diaz as he finishes up his career, which covers the evolution of the game as well as some of Diaz’s more memorable moments.
Cubs’ Alex Bregman undergoing tests after ‘terrible accident’ | ESPN — In a scary moment on Sunday, Alex Bregman was hit in the face by a foul ball while he was standing in the on-deck circle. Bregman underwent X-Rays and CT scans, and it has not yet been determined if he’ll fly back to Chicago with the Cubs, who just finished up a series with the Cincinnati Reds. But Bregman posted an update on Instagram saying he was OK, which is great news.
‘Stayin Alive’ Red Sox cap turnaround, clinch playoff spot | ESPN — The Boston Red Sox have been an excellent story in 2026, as they were 15.5 games out of first place on June 24th and have gone 52-25 since to clinch a playoff berth. According to the article, “The Red Sox are the fourth team to make the playoffs after being 14-or-more games under .500 in a season in the World Series era (since 1903). Two of the three previous instances made the World Series, with the Boston Braves winning it in 1914.”
Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper diagnosed with throat cancer, started treatment last week | The Athletic ($) — Long-time Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper was diagnosed with throat cancer and has started undergoing treatment. This comes on the heels of Mike Krukow’s retirement announcement. Kuiper will be unable to call the Monday and Wednesday games of the Giants’ final season, but he’ll call Tuesday and the final series against the Dodgers.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Enrique Bradfield #72 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (CWS) 7, Norfolk Tides 4
A tough year for Trace Bright concluded with another dud, as the 25-year-old right-hander gave up six runs on three home runs in four innings. Bright started the season with Double-A Chesapeake, posting a 3.82 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in six starts there, but the transition to Triple-A proved tougher. (This isn’t unheard of, just worth noting.) In 21 appearances (20 starts) for Norfolk, Bright went 2-11 with an ERA of 7.70 and a 1.70 WHIP. He gave up lots of hits, as a .315 opposing average and .867 OPS attests, but he also walked more than four batters a game. Adjustments will have to be made.
After Bright’s four six-run innings, the bullpen was pretty good. Christian Heberholz surrendered a run on a hit, a walk, and a sac fly. But after him, Alex Pham, Yaramil Hiraldo and Andrew Magno each threw a scoreless inning. Hiraldo actually finishes the year with a very impressive 1.00 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in 18 appearances for Norfolk. Same deal, 28-year-old left-hander Andrew Magno, who appeared in 47 games and posted an ERA of 1.70.
On offense, the Tides got a really nice day from Enrique Bradfield, who totaled seven bases, tripling and scoring in the first and homering in the fifth. The speedy outfielder finishes the year with a .263 BA and .707 OPS. Third baseman Bryan Ramos doubled home Norfolk’s third run in the sixth inning, and scored the fourth on a wild pitch. Second baseman Aron Estrada was called up to Norfolk only five games ago, but he went 3-for-5 to help pad a really nice 7-for-20 line (.350 BA, .909 OPS) on the season. Same with catcher Ethan Anderson, who singled and walked, leaving him with a .389 BA and 1.309 OPS in five games at Triple-A, too. Tavian Josenberger had two hits and a walk.
The Tides finish the season at 58-89, tenth in the International League East.
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Atlanta Braves players and coaches celebrate in the clubhouse after winning the National League East division title at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Longtime Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper missed this weekend’s games in Los Angeles after Kuiper announced that he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Kuiper intends to broadcast Giants home games this week and says he will be there for the sendoff of his longtime partner Mike Krukow, who is retiring. Kuiper also insists he will beat the cancer. Get well and keep fighting, Kuip.
The Blue Jays are fighting for a final Wild Card spot, but they got no help as ace Dylan Cease underwent an MRI on his sore shoulder. No decision has been made yet, but manager John Schneider admitted he could be out for the year.
C. Trent Rosecrans has a profile of Louisville Bats manager Pat Kelly, who has more minor league losses as a manager than anyone else. (The Athletic sub. req.) All I have to say is do you have any idea how good a minor league manager you have to be to set the record for minor league losses? Really, really good.
Jonathan Mayo has the candidates for the MiLB Awards, which I forgot was even a thing. Anyway, Cubs top prospect Josiah Hartshorn is nominated in one category.
In the game threads this past week, I mentioned that you should never make the first or third out at third base and that led to a whole discussion. Well, Ben Clemens may have been listening because he examined whether or not that old piece of baseball wisdom really makes sense. (Answer: yes. Especially don’t make the third out at third.)
And finally, we have two stories on the effort to get deaf 19th-century ballplayer Billy “Dummy” Hoy into Cooperstown. Bob Nightengale has the non-playwalled story on Hoy and Daniel Brown handles the details on Hoy for The Athletic. (sub. req.) As both articles note, Hoy may have been responsible for the development of umpire signals, although that claim is contentious among historians.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 25: General sky view of Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants on June 25, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
We have reached the final week of San Francisco Giants baseball for the year. So let’s take a last look at what’s on deck for this week.
First up, the Giants welcome the Minnesota Twins to Oracle Park tonight for a three-game series. After that, they’ll have Thursday off and then the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town for the final series of the year.
As much as I loathe having to watch the Dodgers beat the Giants, I have to say that I’m most interested in that series this week because it will feature all the fanfare of the end of the season. I enjoy the Willie Mac Award ceremony and seeing all of the former players come back to visit. So I’m going with that one.
Which series are you most interested in this week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants begin this series against the Twins tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.
Maybe you’ve spent the better part of the past three months wondering why Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens elected to trade Jaylen Brown to an in-division rival. Maybe you refuse to worship at the altar of Optionality. But the arrival of a new season demands that we all stop obsessing about what happened, and shift the focus to what comes next.
While many panned Boston’s decision to trade Brown, fresh off a top six finish in MVP voting, for 36-year-old Paul George and a pair of future first-round picks, the reality is that the trade can’t fully be judged until we see what Stevens does with the assets acquired in the swap.
To kick off the third and final week of our annual Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to predict Stevens’ next big move.
Trading Brown certainly highlighted the roster reshuffling the Celtics have embarked upon in the aftermath of Banner 18. But it’s still very much a work in progress. Entering the 2026-27 season, Boston is banking that a healthier Jayson Tatum, coupled with increased opportunity for players like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, along with the arrival of newcomers Paul George and Mitchell Robinson is enough to keep the Celtics competitive near the top of the East.
But the team’s ability to truly chase Banner 19 might hinge heavily on what Stevens does next.
Stevens hasn’t been bashful in admitting there’s risk involved in a deal of this magnitude. He’s suggested that, even after finishing second in the East last year, the team simply didn’t feel it was truly positioned to chase another title. Boston struggled against the league’s elite then fumbled away a 3-1 series lead to the same 76ers team that they’d eventually deal Brown.
“At the end of the day, you just have to do what you think is the best thing for the organization. And it’s not always gonna be the popular thing,” Stevens said during an appearance on Sirius XM last week. “And it may be right, it may be wrong, who knows, right?
“But I think that, ultimately, we were really lucky. We had Jaylen Brown here for 10 years. And 10 years is a long run in the NBA. And 10 years with that kind of success, and the experience that he brought to the table, and all of his teammates around him brought to the table, and what they were able to do collectively, was a heck of a run. And we’re just trying to sustain this now, so that we can be sustainably in the mix moving forward.”
The Celtics essentially decided that their best path forward was to reshape the core around Tatum. With the pieces acquired in the Brown trade, Boston can now at least get in the conversation for any player that lands on the trade market. Couple that with the potential to reset pesky repeater tax penalties if Boston spends another season below the tax line, and there are multiple pathways to adding impact talent moving forward.
The question is who would be the sort of player that they’d cash in their optionality to pry away and could pair best with Tatum.
The safe answer here is the next disgruntled star. Maybe that’s Nikola Jokic pondering his future if things go sideways for Denver. Maybe that’s Anthony Edwards if the LaMelo Ball experiment fizzles in Minnesota. Or maybe there’s a non-max player that Stevens believes best complements Tatum, while preserving the cap flexibility that didn’t exist with Tatum and Brown commanding such monster slices of the cap.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Nikola Jokic hasn’t advanced past the second round since Denver’s 2023 title.
With George soon to be an expiring contract, and with two attractive future picks acquired in the Brown swap, the Celtics can kick around a bunch of possibilities that didn’t exist before the trade. We get it: Optionality isn’t a whole lot of fun until there’s a tangible return. Tom Petty told us the waiting is the hardest part.
The next big name available on the open market might be a surprise; the fact that someone lands there shouldn’t be. It happens every year, but we act surprised when a Luka Doncic or a Jaylen Brown get dealt. Especially now in the apron era, teams are going to be forced to make tough roster decisions and pivoting even faster than ever.
The Celtics clearly entertained some big-name hunting this summer with the Giannis Antetokounmpo flirtation. It’s hard to see any of the NBA’s biggest names seeking new homes now, but things change fast in the association. A bad start, some roster drama — it doesn’t take much to ignite the next trade rumors.
What sort of timeline might the Celtics operate on? Again, that might depend on the player that becomes available. If a megastar hits the market before the end of the 2026-27 season, the Celtics have to at least kick it around. George is probably easier to move once he’s truly an expiring contract but, again, the Celtics have options moving forward.
Our guess would be Boston hunts the big swing, knowing that competing with teams like Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the near term is going to require the most talent possible. But it’s also possible that the pathway to the deepest team possible involves pondering options outside the top 20 players in the NBA.
If the Magic don’t ever figure things out, can we rule out someone like Paolo Banchero becoming available? The Thompson twins just signed big-money extensions but this armchair GM would be tripping all over himself if one of them eventually got disgruntled. There’s some very intriguing pathways to building the deepest roster possible alongside Tatum, all while not getting sucked into the two max-contract vortex again.
The better question on this pathway is maybe who does Stevens believe is the next Derrick White? Can Stevens and Co. hunt another All-Star-level contributor who doesn’t make All-NBA money?
Stevens’ next move feels especially important. It could dictate whether this team is truly capable of competing for titles through Tatum’s prime. When you make the bold decisions to move off Brown, you better have faith in your plan to get back to a spot where you’re a legitimate championship contender.
Josh Canu: Editor
Steph Curry or Nikola Jokic If you want to try to win again in Jayson Tatum’s prime these are the two names that come to mind. Both are on aging teams that appear far away from contention and both players could be looking for one last run at a championship. The Paul George contract will be very valuable next season being a large expiring deal and could be used to land either Curry or Jokic.
BIG move? Let’s have fun with this one. Stevens and the C’s send a package headlined by Paul George and draft capital to New Orleans in exchange for Trey Murphy, who was heavily linked to Boston throughout the offseason. Mark it down as my official trade deadline prediction.
What are you new here? You think I, or anybody on this planet, can predict anything Brad Stevens is going to do? I’m not answering this question. I know what I don’t know.
Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation & Strategy
It seems like it will be centered around the 2028 pick they got in the Jaylen Brown trade. Obviously, they don’t control exactly what that pick becomes but I think it will become a very important chip for whatever the next big move is. And that may include using it in the draft for a top 5 player, or moving it as part of a trade package.
Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations
It’s the obvious move: Package Paul George and other assets next summer for the next star that wants to be traded. Anthony Edwards? Devin Booker? Does San Antonio see the cap trouble coming for them fast and move Stephon Castle? J-Dub? It’s going to be fascinating to see who it will be.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 28: Members of the grounds crew pull the tarp as rain falls during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Miami Marlins on May 28, 2021 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is about to get ugly! While the Red Sox are virtually locked into the second AL Wild Card spot and will spend the upcoming week preparing to face the Yankees, the Chicago Cubs — Boston’s opponent this weekend — have major playoff seeding implications on the line.
With just six games to go, the Cubs and Padres are tied with a record of 87-69, just one game ahead of the Phillies, who are 86-70. All three teams are battling for the top Wild Card spot on the NL side of the board, and with it, home field advantage in next week’s Wild Card series. In other words, the Cubs will probably have to play all 162 games before they know where they’ll be situated for their Game 1. And wouldn’t you know it? Amid that uncertainty, here’s comes Mother Nature to inject an entirely new level of chaos.
Below is the overnight run of the EC-AIFS model, and it’s showing (as it has for the last several runs) an intensifying, retrograding nor’easter backing into Boston at the end of the week, and then lasting through the entire weekend.
This is potentially a slow moving, multiday, high wind, heavy rain, coastal flooding event. And no, it’s not some rogue run or outlier solution. The EC-AIFS is one of the best performing models in the business, and some other guidance is actually showing an even stronger storm than this. For instance, here’s what the European and ICON models are showing:
We already went into detail on Saturday here at Over The Monster dissecting why a harsh solution like this was not only possible, but also pretty likely. However, if you want the short version, take a look at the linked up ridging in the image below stretching all the way from the central Atlantic through northern Quebec. This is an enormous blocking pattern, which prevents energy exiting off the east coast from escaping. In time, the trapped energy consolidates, becomes an organized storm, and has no choice but to retrograde back towards the east coast as it builds strength because it’s again blocked by the Canadian High.
Regardless of the details, I can’t stress enough how messy this is going to get for the Red Sox and Cubs if a storm remotely close to what these models are showing materializes.
The Red Sox will have no interest in playing these games at all, particularly with Payton Tolle, Sonny Gray, and Ranger Suarez set to go on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday against Cleveland before the weather moves in. That will serve as their final tune up before the rubber meets the road against the Yankees on Tuesday, September 29th.
The entire National League however is — in all likelihood — desperately going to need these games to be played to untangle their Wild Card puzzle. And if we get a massive wash out, the imbalance of the “give a damn” meters between these two clubs is going to be an enormously bad look for MLB.
The Red Sox will be (rightfully) furious if they have to do something like play a make up double header on Monday the 28th, and the Phillies and Padres are going to be (also rightfully) furious if they lose out on home field and have to go to Wrigley because the Cubs got free wins at the finish against a club that absolutely didn’t care about the games.
Either way, MLB is about to have quite an ordeal on its hands, and they may want to start thinking about backup plans right now to prevent an all out fiasco as the season comes to a close.
NEWARK, NY -- On Sunday, the New York Islanders let goaltender Vitek Vanecek, who they signed to a one-year, $1 million deal this summer, play the entirety of their 2-1 preseason loss to the New Jersey Devils.
He made 18 saves on 20 shots.
"I thought Vanacek played well," Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said. "He gives us some good goalie depth in the organization."
Vanecek, who won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024-25 before joining the Utah Mammoth for the 2025-26 season, was brought in as an insurance policy for veteran netminder Semyon Varlamov, whose future was still in the air as he worked his way back from two partial knee replacements.
With Varlamov looking sharp but having yet to face the trials and tribulations of an NHL season since November of 2024, are the Islanders considering going with a three-goalie system to start this season?
"It's been discussed," DeBoer said. "But it does handcuff you [roster-wise]. That's all going to depend on how Varly's doing and how he's feeling and things like that. In talking with Mathieu [Darche], I don't think that we want to go there, but it's on the table if we have to."
If the Islanders don't go that route, Vanecek will need to clear waivers before reporting to Hamilton of the American Hockey League.
There won't be much risk of Vanecek being claimed if he's sent on waivers as part of the final cuts, which usually occurs 24 hours before NHL teams must be cap compliant.
During that time, teams are shedding cap, not adding to it.
If the Islanders held on to Vanecek to start the season and then sent him down through waivers later, they'd run a much greater risk of him being claimed.
As DeBoer said, a Vanecek decision is all about how Varlamov is doing.
Varlamov is expected to get at least one full preseason game later in the week, and he may get half a game on Tuesday against the New York Rangers -- we shall see.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
