DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 11: Aaron Sabato #19 of the St. Paul Saints takes the field prior to the MiLB Field of Dreams game between the St. Paul Saints and the Iowa Cubs at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):8:45 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe:McCovey Chronicles
The Twins were officially eliminated from playoff contention yesterday, but they’ve been emotionally eliminated for a few weeks now. Honestly, being eliminated this late in the game is truly a testament to how milquetoast the entire American League has been this year. Even the “good” teams (Rays, Yankees, Red Sox) have some pretty glaring holes due to injuries. Someone will get hot and make a run to the World Series, but I have to imagine whoever emerges from the NL gauntlet will be heavily favored in the Fall Classic.
But onto today. Minnesota has fully transitioned to 2027 evaluation mode, meaning there’s some weird stuff going on such as Bailey Ober pitching out of the ‘pen yesterday. Today, that means 27-year-old former first round pick Aaron Sabato will make his major league debut.
Sabato is similar to Ben Ross, who was called up a few weeks ago. Not in size, stature, or skillset, but just by way of likely being more of a Quad-A type hitter rather than an actual MLB contributor. That being said, he’s a right handed bat with a ton of power who has crushed lefties the past two seasons, albeit with bad swing-and-miss numbers. Sabato has a .937 OPS against lefties vs a still respectable .857 mark against righties (keep in mind the average International League OPS is around .800). But the real difference comes from his strikeout and walk numbers. Against righties, Sabato has struck out in 26% of his PAs and walked just 6.2% of the time. Against southpaws, those numbers drastically improve to 23% and 17%, respectively.
It’s possible Sabato hits well enough to carve out a bench role, but if you asked me right now, I would assume he’s dropped from the the 40-man in the offseason. It’s possible the big righty is a late bloomer, but this is likely the Twins giving the nod to an organizational warrior as they wrap up the season.
But hey, I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong!
The Giants, meanwhile, have had so many injuries they’re running out an entire roster of organizational warriors. They currently have 9 position players and 13 pitchers on the Major League IL. Those players collectively account for $133.08M of their $196M payroll this season, so there are a lot of 25-28 YO rookies even the most baseball-obsessed bloggers have never heard of before. It’s been a rough year in the Bay, both on and off the field.
UPDATE: I made this post before Jung Hoo Lee and Bryce Eldridge were placed on the IL prior to the game today. The Giants now have exactly 0 opening day starters remaining and don’t have a single player on the active roster making more than $1M. It’s bad, folks.
What had the potential to be a juicy showdown this week in The Bronx may not be worth the squeeze for the Yankees.
Even if they go all out to sweep the Rays in a four-game series, they still would need to keep winning and get some help on the final weekend of the regular season to complete a comeback and take the AL East.
If they lose even one game to the Rays at Yankee Stadium, though, the race would be over, with Tampa Bay popping champagne as division champs and the Yankees all but locked into facing the Red Sox in an AL wild-card series next week.
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Of course, right up until the Yankees are officially eliminated from the AL East race, they will try to catch the Rays, beginning by starting Carlos Rodón and Max Fried in Tuesday’s doubleheader. But if what seems inevitable comes to fruition — they trail by six games with seven to play — the Yankees can turn their attention to the arguably more important things awaiting them in the coming days.
“It’s tough,” José Caballero said as the Yankees packed their bags after losing a second straight winnable game to the Diamondbacks on Sunday at Chase Field. “We fight for this the whole season, but at the end of the day, we’re already in the postseason, so that’s what we look forward to. Just be better and learn from little mistakes and play clean baseball in the postseason.”
Even if the Yankees pull off a sweep of the Rays, any combination of two Yankees losses (against the Orioles) or Rays wins (against the Phillies) would mean the Rays still win the division.
It would behoove the Yankees to get some early clarity on the division, allowing them to focus on some housekeeping this week. Doing so would give them an opportunity to rest their most heavily used relievers; set up their rotation order how they choose to face the Red Sox (Cam Schlittler or Gerrit Cole in Game 1?); and figure out how to handle second base (with Jazz Chisholm Jr. returning), third base and right field (with Aaron Judge sure looking like he might miss the wild-card series with a right calf strain).
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, right, reacts from the dugout during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Phoenix. AP Photo/Caitlin O'Hara
“You got to make sure guys are in a good spot going in, but we’re going to show up and try to win the games Tuesday and we’ll keep going from there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve been through a lot as a team this year already and we’ve answered the bell at mostly all the turns. Looking forward to hopefully playing a good week of baseball and building some momentum going into the postseason.”
The Yankees have had their chances to chase down the Rays before sharing the field with them again. The last time they saw each other, shortly before the All-Star break in July, they split a four-game series, with the Yankees leaving Tropicana Field trailing the Rays by four games.
Since then, the Yankees have gone 38-24, which represents the fifth-best winning percentage in the majors during that span. The problem is that the Rays have posted the second-best winning percentage in that time (41-23), gaining two full games on the Yankees.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Diaz celebrates scoring a run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Sunday, September 20, 2026. Getty Images
The closest the Yankees have gotten to the Rays during that span was 1 ¹/₂ games, but that was way back on July 28.
“They’ve put together a great season to this point and put themselves in a great position,” Boone said. “Got a ton of respect for the season they’ve had so far. Hopefully we’ll cross paths beyond Tuesday at some point in the future [the ALDS].”
The Yankees have gone 3-6 against the Rays this season, meaning they would have to sweep this four-game series to secure the tiebreaker should the teams finish the season with the same record.
“They play their game,” said Caballero, who was a Ray for a season and a half before the Yankees acquired him last summer. “It’s tough to play them, playing the way they play. They did a good job during the whole year, pitching-wise as well. They have some good pitching. That’s why they’re at the top of the American League. But at the end of the day, it’s about what we do in the postseason. The 162 first games, it doesn’t matter. The clock starts [in the] postseason.”
SAN ANTONIO - JANUARY 14: Derek Fisher #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with head coach Phil Jackson during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 14, 2009 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs won 112-111. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Are you surprised by the Villain Bracket Final results?
Marilyn Dubinski: I am. I wholly expected Kawhi Leonard to be in the Finals (along with Zaza Pachulia) since he has very clearly been public enemy no.1 in San Antonio for the last eight years, and the fact that he wasn’t there shocked me. It leads me to wonder how much the Clippers’ Aspiration scandal and the punishment, which was much harsher on Uncle Dennis than Kawhi, coming out during the tournament played a role in influencing the outcome of the last few rounds. Clearly, fans decided that Uncle Dennis was more responsible for influencing Kawhi than Kawhi was for going along with it, but that’s why we did this! It wouldn’t have been any fun without surprises, and there were none in the other three brackets.
Mark Barrington: Like Marilyn, I certainly expected Kawhi to be in the finals, and the eventual winner. However, both finalists are inexplicably entwined in the Leonard saga: Zaza as the brigand who intentionally injured the already tender ankle of the Spurs’ best player, ending their 2017 playoff run, and uncle Dennis, who engineered Kawhi’s messy exit from the Spurs and the franchise-crushing salary cap circumvention fiasco (with Ballmer’s complicity). Once again, Kawhi is at the center of a hurricane of misdeeds and calamity, but he doesn’t face the consequences, traded to the Raptors to finish out his career at one of the teams he left in his wake years ago. He’s had quite the villain’s journey, and maybe the final chapter will be redemption. But don’t count on it.
Bill Huan: Like Marilyn and Mark, I wholly expected Kawhi to be in the finals, but I think the fans got it right by having Uncle Dennis usurp his nephew. I fully admit that recency bias is likely affecting my judgment, but all the recent reports regarding the Kawhi-Aspiration scandal indicate that Uncle Dennis was the mastermind behind everything. That doesn’t mean Kawhi was going to stay in San Antonio forever if he was more in control of his camp, but I do think it’s possible he could’ve stayed a few more seasons and departed in the 2019 offseason rather than forcing the team’s hand to trade him in 2018. Perhaps the Spurs could’ve had a few more seasons as a title contender with him leading the way, so I agree with Uncle Dennis making the final over his nephew.
Devon Birdsong: I mean, not really. With the Clippers scandal going down, I expected that Uncle Dennis and Kawhi were going deep in the bracket. Those two and Zaza are the most recent faces of Spurs fandom villainy, and they all made the Final Four. However, I expected that Dennis was going to take the brunt. There are still some Kawhi apologists in the fanbase, and he did physically help the Spurs win a championship, whereas his Uncle has no such buffer. I was more shocked that Ray Allen didn’t make it past Derek Fisher in the Elite Eight, though I’m realizing that’s probably the result of the 2014 Championship taking the edge off of his shot. Still, I rarely see the .4 seconds clip anymore, and the NBA at-large loves to play Allen’s shot on a loop every postseason (or, at least, that’s how it feels), so my animus for (and reaction to) Fisher’s shot is greatly lessened.
Jeje Gomez: I’m shocked Uncle Dennis made the Finals. Current-day UD is a certified NBA villain, but back in the day he was just someone who engineered Kawhi’s exit. Any other manager or agent could have done the same. I absolutely understand why he’s there, considering recent news, but I thought Kawhi himself would be the one to win the whole thing.
Other than that, there weren’t major surprises. Zaza earned the villain title. The guys in the semis did as well. Overall, I think this exercise showed that, with one possible exception, the fan base is united in who they dislike the most.
Is there anyone you think should have advanced further than they did, and why? Was there an upset you weren’t expecting?
Dubinski: I was shocked that neither Phil Jackson nor David Stern advanced past the second round of the Haters bracket, which may be an indicator that a lot of our PtR audience is younger than me. (And I’m “only” 40! You guys are making me feel old!) Back in the early-to-mid 2000’s, when public figures could get away with more controversial statements without worldwide pushback on social media, Jackson’s asterisk comment reeked of jealousy and was used by Lakers fans and other haters to discredit the Spurs even at the height of their dynasty, and frankly Stern’s comments that the Spurs being in the Finals was bad for the league, and if he had his way, every Finals would be Celtics-Lakers, were right up there with Restgate, but maybe not everyone went through or remembers all that.
Barrington: Except for Kawhi’s failure to advance to the Finals [mentioned above], I think things played out about as I thought they would. I would have thought that the Knicks might have gone further than they did, because of Spurs being unhappy about the outcome of the Finals, but I think that voters correctly assessed that the Knicks aren’t villains; they are simply a team that played with a lot of heart and poise and outcompeted the inexperienced Silver and Black. Sure, their fans were insufferable, but that’s not the team, and frankly, if the Spurs had won, I’d be insufferable too.
Huan: I personally think that Richard Jefferson (4-seed) was placed way too high on the Former Spurs’ side of the bracket, and Dennis Rodman (7-seed) was too low. Sure, RJ struggled in his three seasons in San Antonio, but he has never blamed the organization the way Rodman did. RJ was never a locker room distraction like Rodman and didn’t bash his former teammates on the way out, so why was he ranked so high? I think it would’ve made more sense to swap the two.
Birdsong: I was a little surprised that Stephen Jackson beat out Robert Horry in the Sweet 16 as well. It definitely felt like a near-even match, but Jackson is at least complimentary about Tim and Pop, whereas it feels like Horry has taken potshot after potshot over the years, and is just generally resentful of his time in San Antonio overall, and that would maybe be the difference (it was for me). I guess one huge shot bought him enough goodwill, but Jackson had quite a few against Dallas (alongside Steve Kerr) in 2003, so what do I know? I also feel like Marcus Morris and Hakeem The Dream would have made it further if they didn’t end up facing Kawhi and Ray Allen so early in the bracket.
Gomez: The 2025/26 Knicks talked a lot of smack about the Spurs and Wembanyama, to the point where I thought recency bias might propel them through a couple of rounds. But the real answer is Phil Jackson. During the mid-2000’s rivalry, the guy was downplaying most Spurs achievements. I completely understand that it’s been a long time since then and the 2014 title changed things, but I was expecting more vitriol to come his way.
Five years from now, who do you think would win a Villain Bracket?
Dubinski: Beyond wondering if Kawhi would have beaten out Uncle Dennis in any other year, I feel like there’s going to be someone who does something to Wemby that outdoes Zaza or Karl Malone and shoots them up our Dirty Players bracket. Also, the Spurs’ rise to new prominence is inevitably going to create or renew rivalries. It will be interesting to see if someone on OKC triggers our hate more than Lu Dort. (Will Chet Holmgren figure things out and really get that rivalry with Wemby going in the playoffs? Will SGA keep getting away with foul baiting to the point that they beat the Spurs with it?) It’s also inevitable that a former Spur will be able to replace Marcus Morris in that bracket, although I’m not sure it will be anyone among the current players. (We were a bit limited in that bracket by sticking to basketball and not looking into players’ off-court troubles.)
Barrington: Speaking of Marcus Morris, I’m kind of wondering how Cam Payne didn’t make the list. He was traded to the Spurs in 2023 and never reported, finally waived so he could sign with another team. Maybe that’s because nobody remembers who he is. I think if the Spurs end up meeting again with the Knicks in the finals, there could be some sports hate brewing between the two teams. Conventional wisdom is that they had a pretty brief window due to salary cap concerns, but with Brunson setting the example by taking a discount, I wouldn’t count them out as a long-term contender in the Eastern Conference, and if the Spurs can’t get past them if they meet again, they will be worthy nemeses. My hope is that the Spurs have a 2014-style redemption tour the next time they meet in the playoffs, but history is yet to be written.
I was noticing in the SBNation thread about Most Hated Teams that some people are mentioning the Spurs. In my opinion, that’s a sign of respect. As the Spurs become more successful, I suspect that they will become more hated, and if there were a villains tournament open to fans of all fans in the entire league, Wemby could end up near the top, unless he and the team can find some more creative ways to deal with the constant mugging he gets from opposing defenders.
Huan: Five years is not much time at all, but if I had to crown a new winner, it must be a player who does something dirty to Wemby. The recency bias alone would be a huge advantage for them, not to mention potentially injuring the best player in the league. I mean, Zaza’s in the Finals for injuring another top-three villain in the tournament; can you imagine how much hate a player would receive for injuring the face of the franchise and fan favorite Wemby??
Birdsong: If anyone injures Wemby (especially in the postseason), I suspect Zaza’s reign on that front will finally end. I think making it to the Finals this season has already taken some of the sting out of that for a lot of fans. Sure, he’s hated, but not in the way he was when the Spurs were mired in multiple double-digit losing streaks. Another championship or two will probably reduce that even further. Additionally, if the Spurs were to (knock on wood) lose to the Knicks in the Finals again, they’ll probably become Enemy #1 for the fanbase in a manner we’ve never seen before. I don’t see that happening for a multitude of team-building + James Dolan-related reasons, but that would be an all-timer. I’m willing to bet the Miami Heat would’ve swept the entire bracket if the Spurs had lost to them again in 2014.
Gomez: Anyone who hurts Wemby is the right answer, but I’ll offer another perspective: If the Spurs don’t win a title in the next five years, I could see Brian Wright becoming a villain. Wright will be the face of a lot of likely unpopular moves to keep the team under the tax line and second apron, so if San Antonio falls short, he’ll be the perfect scapegoat as to why a group with elite young talent underperformed and how so many good years were wasted. The narrative writes itself.
If we are talking about a dark horse, it could be one of the young guards. Restricted free agency practically ensures that they’ll sign a second contract, and both seem happy now, but both seem good enough to potentially be the biggest star on their own team, and the Spurs’ are clearly Wemby’s. If there’s enough success, there should be no issues, but it’s hard to forget what happened the last time a team with this much elite young talent had to pay everyone and figure out a pecking order, so hopefully neither Castle nor Harper pulls off a 2012 James Harden and becomes a villain.
Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As the offseason prepares to come to a close, with training camp starting in a little over a week, we can’t help but continue trying to project what the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns will ultimately become. There are numerous questions about how the offense will function, what a summer of development has done for the young guys, what adjustments the coaching staff has focused on, and whether they can successfully implement new strategies this season.
Project. That’s about all we can really do at this point. And as I was exploring Basketball-Reference, the holy grail for looking at players throughout NBA history, their statistical output, and the marks they’ve left on the game, I stumbled across something. Basketball-Reference has already put together projections for nearly every player in the NBA this upcoming season.
The only players who don’t have projections are rookies, so in the case of the Phoenix Suns, that means Koa Peat. But if you visit the page of nearly any other member of the roster, you’ll find their statistical projections for the upcoming season.
Have no fear. I went through and collected them all for you so we can take a look at what Basketball-Reference expects of the Suns this season. I do the tedious work so you don’t have to!
There is one important thing to keep in mind before we dive in. All of their projections are on a per-36-minute basis. So take them with a grain of salt.
Player
FG
FGA
3P
3PA
FT
FTA
ORB
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PF
PTS
FG%
3P%
FT%
Collin Gillespie
5.6
13.2
3.5
8.7
1.3
1.5
1.4
5.3
5.8
1.6
0.3
1.9
2.1
16.0
0.425
0.404
0.783
Devin Booker
8.8
19.1
2.2
6.5
6.5
7.4
0.9
4.2
6.5
0.9
0.3
3.1
2.8
26.3
0.459
0.333
0.878
Dillon Brooks
7.2
16.7
2.6
7.3
2.6
3.2
1.0
4.3
2.1
1.1
0.2
1.7
3.8
19.7
0.431
0.361
0.715
Haywood Highsmith
4
8.7
1.9
4.9
1.0
1.3
1.6
5.3
2.4
1.3
0.7
1.1
3.2
10.9
0.463
0.394
0.812
Jalen Green
8.5
19.6
3
8.8
3.4
4.3
0.7
5.3
3.9
1.1
0.4
2.7
1.8
23.4
0.432
0.344
0.835
Jamaree Bouyea
6
12.9
1.4
4.5
1.6
2.3
1.1
5
4.5
1.6
0.9
1.9
2.3
15
0.461
0.308
0.833
Jordan Goodwin
5.2
12.4
2.3
6.3
1.0
1.4
3
7.7
3.6
2.2
0.4
1.7
3
13.7
0.416
0.367
0.554
Khaman Malauch
5.5
10.4
0.9
2.9
2.2
3
3.7
10.5
1.6
0.7
2.3
2.1
3.4
14.1
0.526
0.318
0.643
Koby Brea
6.4
14.0
3.2
8
2.1
2.6
1.3
5.6
4.2
1.0
0.5
2
2.8
18.2
0.459
0.407
0.855
Luke Kennard
5.1
10.1
2.6
5.8
1.4
1.6
0.8
4.2
4.2
1.2
0.2
1.5
2
14.2
0.505
0.453
0.727
Mark Williams
7.5
12.0
0.2
0.5
3.6
4.6
4.4
12.3
2.2
1.3
1.4
1.8
3.3
18.7
0.624
0.362
0.798
Miles Bridges
7.5
16.7
2.3
6.9
3.2
3.9
1.2
7.2
3.8
0.8
0.6
1.9
1.9
20.6
0.452
0.330
0.746
Oso Ighodaro
4.8
7.5
0.1
0.4
1.2
2.3
2.6
8.2
3.5
1.4
1.1
1.9
4
10.8
0.63
0.345
0.513
Pat Spencer
5.5
13.0
1.7
4.8
1.5
1.9
1.6
5.0
6.5
1.4
0.2
2.5
2.3
14.2
0.428
0.348
0.888
Rasheer Fleming
5.1
11.8
2.4
6.6
1.4
2.2
2.8
6.8
1.5
1.2
1.1
1.6
3.3
14.0
0.431
0.359
0.747
Ryan Dunn
4.9
10.7
1.7
5.3
0.7
1.3
2.5
7.6
2.4
1.4
0.9
1.4
3.6
12.2
0.454
0.332
0.77
Okay, I’ve taken it with a grain of salt. Now I want something cleaner, something more tangible, and something that gives us a more realistic idea of how Basketball Reference is projecting these players. Knowing a per-36 statistic is fine, but when you take into account only 3 players who played in 10+ games last season and averaged over 36 minutes per game, it’s somewhat of a dead stat.
So I decided to take this exercise one step further. I used the per-36 projections Basketball Reference has for every member of the Phoenix Suns and normalized their statistical output to the minutes each player averaged last season. Ah, math and Excel. I heart you.
I know this is a flawed way to approach it. Minutes and roles will change, and last season’s playing time isn’t necessarily indicative of what each player will receive this year. Still, it gives us a little more insight into the production Basketball-Reference is projecting based on a workload we’ve actually seen these players handle.
Player
MPG
FG
FGA
3P
3PA
FT
FTA
ORB
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PF
PTS
FG%
3P%
FT%
Collin Gillespie
28.5
4.4
10.5
2.8
6.9
1.0
1.2
1.1
4.2
4.6
1.3
0.2
1.5
1.7
12.7
0.425
0.404
0.855
Devin Booker
33.5
8.2
17.8
2.0
6.0
6.0
6.9
0.8
3.9
6.0
0.8
0.3
2.9
2.6
24.5
0.459
0.333
0.878
Dillon Brooks
30.4
6.1
14.1
2.2
6.2
2.2
2.7
0.8
3.6
1.8
0.9
0.2
1.4
3.2
16.6
0.431
0.361
0.833
Haywood Highsmith
13.0
1.4
3.1
0.7
1.8
0.4
0.5
0.6
1.9
0.9
0.5
0.3
0.4
1.2
3.9
0.463
0.394
0.746
Jalen Green
25.9
6.1
14.1
2.2
6.3
2.4
3.1
0.5
3.8
2.8
0.8
0.3
1.9
1.3
16.8
0.432
0.344
0.798
Jamaree Bouyea
14.0
2.3
5.0
0.5
1.8
0.6
0.9
0.4
1.9
1.8
0.6
0.4
0.7
0.9
5.8
0.461
0.308
0.715
Jordan Goodwin
22.5
3.3
7.8
1.4
3.9
0.6
0.9
1.9
4.8
2.3
1.4
0.3
1.1
1.9
8.6
0.416
0.367
0.727
Khaman Malauch
8.9
1.4
2.6
0.2
0.7
0.5
0.7
0.9
2.6
0.4
0.2
0.6
0.5
0.8
3.5
0.526
0.318
0.747
Koby Brea
7.0
1.2
2.7
0.6
1.6
0.4
0.5
0.3
1.1
0.8
0.2
0.1
0.4
0.5
3.5
0.459
0.407
0.812
Luke Kennard
21.6
3.1
6.1
1.6
3.5
0.8
1.0
0.5
2.5
2.5
0.7
0.1
0.9
1.2
8.5
0.505
0.453
0.888
Mark Williams
23.6
4.9
7.9
0.1
0.3
2.4
3.0
2.9
8.1
1.4
0.9
0.9
1.2
2.2
12.3
0.624
0.362
0.783
Miles Bridges
31.0
6.5
14.4
2
5.9
2.8
3.4
1.0
6.2
3.3
0.7
0.5
1.6
1.6
17.7
0.452
0.330
0.835
Oso Ighodaro
22.0
2.9
4.6
0.1
0.2
0.7
1.4
1.6
5.0
2.1
0.9
0.7
1.2
2.4
6.6
0.63
0.345
0.513
Pat Spencer
18.6
2.8
6.7
0.9
2.5
0.8
1.0
0.8
2.6
3.4
0.7
0.1
1.3
1.2
7.3
0.428
0.348
0.77
Rasheer Fleming
12.2
1.7
4.0
0.8
2.2
0.5
0.7
0.9
2.3
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.5
1.1
4.7
0.431
0.359
0.643
Ryan Dunn
19.4
2.6
5.8
0.9
2.9
0.4
0.7
1.3
4.1
1.3
0.8
0.5
0.8
1.9
6.6
0.454
0.332
0.554
I know this isn’t a perfect science. Again, these are projections. They never truly are. There are also individual intricacies that get lost in this process. I don’t believe Khaman Maluach will only play 8.9 minutes per game as he did a season ago, nor do I expect Mark Williams to have much impact when he returns from his labrum injury. Still, the exercise gives us an interesting look at how Basketball Reference views the individual players on this roster.
Based on these projections, the Suns would have six players averaging double figures in scoring each night. Overall, the projections have the Suns shooting 47.5% from the field, 36% from beyond the arc, and 75.6% from the free-throw line. And I can fall in love with those three-point shooting numbers from Gillespie and Kennard.
Perhaps the most interesting projection belongs to Devin Booker. Basketball Reference has him averaging 24.5 points per game, which would be his lowest scoring output since his sophomore season back in 2016-17, while matching his assist production from last year. His three-point percentage mildly increases while his free throw attempts drop from 8.1 last season to 6.9 this season. A question we have to ask ourselves is: What does a stat line of 24.5 and 6.0, with 2.9 turnovers, on 46/33/88 splits mean? To us, to him, and to the team?
Another thing I find interesting is the overall shot diet, and it’s something I’m contemplating monitoring throughout the season. Every week during the season, I write a Suns Weekly, which I’m renaming The Solar Report this season as an homage to my podcast’s original name. Within that, I like to find one statistic to mine and monitor throughout the season. This year, the overall shot diet might be one of them.
What does the balance of this offense actually look like? Based on these projections, the Suns would have five different players averaging more than 10 shot attempts per game. That isn’t necessarily unfamiliar territory. We saw a similar distribution last season. What interests me is where those shots are going. Based on my normalized version of Basketball-Reference’s projections, Miles Bridges would be second on the team with 14.4 field goal attempts per game, while Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green would both average 14.1.
Is that the right balance? More importantly, what does balance even look like for this team? That’s something I want to monitor throughout the season. Because with this many players capable of taking double-digit shots on any given night, how those opportunities are distributed could tell us quite a bit about what this offense ultimately becomes.
Again, none of this is gospel. It’s simply another way to look at what this roster could potentially produce. The numbers aren’t telling us what will happen. They’re establishing another baseline for what could happen. Roles will change, minutes will change, injuries and development will blow holes through some of these projections before Thanksgiving. But with training camp around the corner, we’ve officially reached the point where speculation is about to collide with reality. The spreadsheets have had their turn. Now it’s time for basketball to start providing the answers.
Jake McCarthy (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Wild Card Race.
My final prediction in the preseason was that the Diamondbacks would win 85.1 games. With 82 wins, the Diamondbacks could exceed my prediction, which would give me joy. I’d rather be wrong with the Diamondbacks heading to the playoffs.
The Obvious. The Diamondbacks odds of being the third NL Wild Card are small, but non-zero. They need to sweep the final six games (3 games vs Rockies and 3 games vs Padres). And either the Phillies or the Padres need to lose nearly all their games.
The Subtle and Profound. Torey Lovullo’s comments after Sunday’s game were subtle and profound.
“…We know where we are in the standings. There’s not a damn thing we can do about it, other than go out and play our finest game on Tuesday in Colorado.” — Torey Lovullo
The Difference that Matters. Sweeping this series (or not) is the difference that matters.
Rockies Players to Watch.
Former Diamondbacks Jake McCarthy splits his playing time between left field and center field, with a little bit of right field. After a career worst season with the Diamondbacks, with the Rockies his 113 OPS+ is backed up with 15 homers and 80 RBIs. McCarthy’s comments seemed to say his improvement was due to trying to hit line drives to all fields, batting at the top of the lineup, and more consistent at-bats. Two huge difference makers follow:
His batting performance is better at Coors than Chase. At Coors his OPS was 1.111 in 2025 and .904 inn 2026. At Chase his OPS was .598 in 2025 and .310 in 2026.
He increased his percentage of fast swings (swings greater than 75 MPH). Per Baseball Savant, the percentage of fast swings increased from 7.8% in 2025 to 15.4% in 2026. That’s nearly double!
“I think it’s getting back to what makes me good. I think last year I sort of got away from doing what I do well. I think that’s being competitive on a daily basis. When I reflect on last year, I think a lot of at-bats ended in a pop-out or just early, weak contact. I’m trying to hit as many line drives around the field as possible. I’m sure the big outfield of Coors (Field) does help.” — Jake McCarthy
Pitching Matchups.
Announced Diamondbacks Pitchers (as of Monday morning):
Michael Soroka. In his latest start, he allowed 1 earned run in 5 innings.
Merrill Kelly. In his latest start, which was against the Marlins, he allowed 3 earned runs in 4.2 innings. However, the Marlins scored an unearned run, and one run was the margin of victory for the Marlins.
Eduardo Rodriguez. In his latest start, which was against the Yankees, he allowed 7 earned runs (5 of which were in the first inning) in 5.1 innings. How well he fares in the first inning will be an early indicator of the Diamondbacks winning chances.
Announced Rockies Starters (as of Monday morning):
Kyle Freeland. In his latest start, be allowed 1 earned run in 5 innings.
Mason Adams. In his latest start, which was against the Padres, he allowed 6 earned runs in 4.1 innings. Six runs was the margin of victory for the Padres.
Mets prospect Jonathan Santucci capped his fantastic season by being named an Eastern League All-Star on Monday.
Santucci continued climbing his way through the system this year.
The left-hander started the season pitching with Double-A Binghamton before working his way into Syracuse’s starting rotation down the stretch.
Before his promotion he led the Double-A level in strikeouts (120), was fifth in ERA (3.57), eighth in innings pitched (90.2), and eighth in WHIP (1.24).
He struggled to the tune of a 5.24 ERA after joining Syracuse, but held his opponent to two runs or fewer in three of his last five outings of the season.
Overall, Santucci led all minor league pitchers with 163 strikeouts, marking the second straight year a Mets pitching prospect accomplished the feat (Jonah Tong).
The 23-year-old former second-round pick out of Duke is the second-ranked prospect and top-ranked pitching prospect on SNY’s midseason Top 30 list.
According to SNY’s Joe DeMayo, Santucci looks the part of a mid-rotation starter who should enter the Mets’ rotation mix some time next season.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2026: Bo Davidson #91 of the San Francisco Giants takes a lead at first base during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
There are only six games left in a truly miserable San Francisco Giants season, but there’s finally some good news: those six games just got a lot more interesting. On Monday afternoon, before kicking off their penultimate series of the season, the Giants announced that two thrilling youngsters are headed to the team: infielder Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Bo Davidson.
Both players are also jumping straight into the lineup. Mayer, who was activated off of the 10-Day Injured List, will serve as the designated hitter, while Davidson, who had his contract purchased from AAA Sacramento, will be in right field.
For Mayer, it will be his organizational debut. The 23-year old lefty, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, joined the Giants at this year’s trade deadline, in exchange for lefty reliever Erik Miller and outfield prospect Carlos Gutierrez. Widely considered a top-20 prospect in all of baseball a year ago, Mayer struggled during two stints in the Majors with the Boston Red Sox, hitting .223/.278/.346 (71 wRC+) in 70 games. But he has all the potential in the world, was a successful hitter at every level of the Minor Leagues, is still extremely young, and is a very talented defensive player.
Mayer was on the Injured List when the Giants acquired him, and shortly after began a rehab assignment. Unfortunately he had a setback fairly quickly, and was shut down. He now returns to the Giants without having made a second rehab appearance, and hasn’t played in a game since August 18. Hopefully we get to see him play some second base before the season ends, as he’ll likely be playing there a lot next season.
As for Davidson, he gets to cap a brilliant year with an MLB debut. The 24-year old lefty slugger has been one of the best stories in the Giants organization in recent history, as he rose from an undrafted free agent out of a junior college, to one of the top prospects in the system (and on top 100 lists), and now to a Major Leaguer.
Davidson, who plays quality defense, has good speed, and displays strong contact skills, but whose real calling card is his power, split the season between AA Richmond and AAA Sacramento, and dominated each level. He was an All-Star in the AA Eastern League, where he posted an .861 OPS and a 122 wRC+, and then took it to a whole new level in the AAA Pacific Coast League, where he finished the year with a .923 OPS and a 138 wRC+. Across the two levels, Davidson hit an organization-leading 29 home runs in 125 games.
While players like Victor Bericoto, Turner Hill, Drew Gilbert, and Jonah Cox have put forth impressive auditions this year, it’s very possible that the Giants traded Heliot Ramos in large part because they were confident that Davidson could be an everyday player next year.
Since Davidson was going to need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft in the offseason, it made sense for the Giants to roster him and give him a little taste of the Majors before 2027.
For as exciting as the additions of Mayer and Davidson are, they come with a cost: they are replacing first baseman Bryce Eldridge and outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, whose seasons are presumably over. Eldridge is being placed on the 7-Day Concussion List, retroactive to September 18, though Tony Vitello said it’s unlikely that he’ll play again this year. Lee is headed to the 10-Day Injured List with a groin contusion, which officially ends his season.
With Lee’s injury, only Christian Koss and Landen Roupp remain from the Opening Day roster. Pretty wild!
To make space on the 40-man roster for Davidson, the Giants designated reliever Philip Abner for assignment.
Things are starting to ramp back up around the NBA. Players are working out with teammates and teams are making a lot of moves, but most of those are Exhibit 10 training camp contracts to stack the franchise's G League roster. Still, there is news of note, and that starts with the LA Clippers.
Clippers name John Gibson interim Governor
Rather than promote from within, the Clippers have gone outside the organization and named Los Angeles-based attorney John S. Gibson interim Chief Executive Officer and Governor. He steps into the roles formerly filled by team owner Steve Ballmer and head of business operations Gillian Zucker, both of whom the NBA suspended for a year for circumventing the salary cap to get Kawhi Leonard more money.
"I am honored to take on this responsibility and grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization I have supported for many years," Gibson said in a statement. "The Clippers have talented players, coaches, and staff, an extraordinary home in Intuit Dome, and passionate Clipper Nation fans who, like me, care deeply about this team. My focus will be on supporting our people, providing steady leadership, and helping the organization continue moving forward."
Gibson is a partner at the law firm DLA Piper in Los Angeles and a long-time Clippers season ticket holder. He also represented the Clippers during the Donald Sterling ownership court battle. Expect more caretaker for a year, a guy who will set some best-practice business guidelines for the future but is not there to shake things up.
The Clippers also officially announced the expected, that General Manager Trent Redden will oversee basketball operations for six months until Lawrence Frank is off of his suspension.
Pistons, Duren still at an impasse
Seven days from the start of training camp and the Pistons and All-NBA center Jalen Duren remain at an impasse. While the sides are talking, they reportedly aren't close to a deal.
ESPN’s Shams Charania said on NBA Today that "it's highly up in the air and questionable as to whether (Duren) will be reporting and showing up to media day in just seven days." He also said the Pistons' latest offer is five years, $200 million.
If that is true, it shows how this is more about Duren not feeling respected by the organization than it is pure money — although Houston giving Amen Thompson five years, $208 million likely raised the bar a little. As Charania notes, a year ago the Pistons came to Duren with a hard $20 million a year average take-it-or-leave-it offer, and that is where the tension started. He turned that down and proved he was worth more than that — how much more (after a rough playoff run) is part of the question. The other part is how he feels the organization has treated him, which plays into this. It's now about more than money, although at the end of the day, can Duren really leave that contract on the table and play for a $9.6 million qualifying offer?
Hawks’ Henri Veesaar tears ACL
This sucks.
Henri Veesaar — coming off a breakout year at North Carolina where he averaged 17 points and 8.7 rebounds per game — was a first-round talent who slid all the way to No. 52 last June because his agents steered him to a team where he could get a standard NBA contract. He got that in Atlanta at four years, $9.6 million (the first two years are guaranteed).
Veesaar tore his ACL in a workout on Sept. 15 and will miss the entire upcoming season recovering after surgery next month, Atlanta announced. This is a real blow for the Estonian big man, and also tough on Atlanta's frontcourt depth, with Mouhamed Gueye missing the start of the season due to a fractured foot that required surgery.
Mavericks expected to sign Dwight Powell
Reserve center Dwight Powell has played the last 12 seasons in Dallas, and is now expected to play one more, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Well, probably. Powell is expected to sign a non-guaranteed deal with the team that gives the Mavericks flexibility if Powell were injured or something else occurred. That said, Powell was in Santa Monica with many of the Dallas Mavericks last week in a series of workouts organized by Kyrie Irving.
Powell doesn't have a big impact on the court at age 35 (3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 63 appearances last season), but he may be more valuable to a young team as a mentor who shows players how to be professional and has a strong work ethic.
Pistons executive Michael Blackstone talks cancer
If you read one thing today, it should be Pistons executive vice president of basketball operations Michael Blackstone sitting down with Hunter Patterson of The Athletic to talk about Blackstone's battle against Stage 4 lung cancer. Blackstone was diagnosed in 2023 but is speaking out now to urge people to see their doctor if they are feeling unexplained aches and pains. That's how he found out.
"The reason I'm talking about it now versus the past three years is because time is basically all I have now, right? Time is what matters...
"If I didn't pay attention to the discomfort I was having and ask a very innocent question, I wouldn't be here right now. It was already Stage 4 when we found it; it had already gone too far."
The Athletics, currently 61-95, are just a week away from completing their fifth consecutive season with a losing record, but their biggest problem currently is addressing the vacancy at general manager.
The team would like to fulfill the vacancy before the season ends next week.
Assistant general manager Dan Feinstein was put in place in the interim while the search prolongs. It's not going to happen in the blink of an eye, but it is reflective of the state of the team overall - there are major holes that need to be filled.
"David has been an integral part of the A's and our success for nearly three decades," team owner John Fisher said in a statement. "His leadership, dedication, and commitment to this team have helped shape our baseball operations department and position us for the future. We are grateful for everything David has done for our organization."
A's organization in discord?
It's natural to wonder what happened with Forst, 50, after nearly three decades with the team.
There was allegedly internal disagreement. According to USA TODAY Sports baseball columnist Bob Nightengale, Forst was in the final year of his contract and didn't want to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028 when the organization moves from its temporary home in West Sacramento.
The A's are on pace for one of their worst finishes in the last five years with just five losses away from the centennial mark and six games remaining. They sit fourth in the AL West.
The Athletics, who made wholesale firings on their minor-league development staff, also aren’t done yet. While the search for a general manager is on, a search might soon be on for a new coach. Nightengale reported rumblings around the league that skipper Mark Kotsay could be on the way out.
However, he added that Kotsay has a contract through 2028, when the A's are expected to make their move to Las Vegas.
Kotsay could manage the club for a season in Las Vegas and see from there. Overall, his job is considered safe. The current focus is on the vacant general manager position.
A's candidates for general manager
Here's who the A's have contacted about the position:
Mike Rizzo, Washington Nationals former general manager
Mike Rizzo recently had a formal interview with the Athletics for their vacant GM position, according to Nightengale.
Rizzo would be a strong candidate for the A's. He helped build the Washington Nationals into a powerhouse. Rizzo's tenure in Washington, which began in 2006, was highlighted by the 2019 World Series championship.
Rizzo was fired by the Nationals during the 2025 season after a rough start and not having seen success since their covenant 2019 season. Under Rizzo, the Nationals made five playoff appearances and won four division titles, one National League pennant and one World Series title.
But it's not a foregone conclusion that Rizzo would choose the A's. He's also expected to have strong interest from the Houston Astros, who also have a vacancy at general manager. The 'Stros won't begin their interview process until their season concludes.
Billy Owens, Athletics assistant general manager, director of player personnel
The Athletics have also looked internally for their next general manager. The A's interviewed their current assistant general manager and director of player personnel Billy Owens.
Owens has spent 28 years with the organization after starting as a scout and minor league hitting coach in 1999.
His longstanding tenure with the franchise gives him strong consideration. If Owens is promoted, he would become the first Black general manager in the history of the organization.
James Click, Toronto Blue Jays vice president of baseball strategy
Another candidate the A's are looking at is James Click, vice president of baseball strategy with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Click is considered a strong candidate and has held his capacity with the Blue Jays since 2023.
Prior to the Blue Jays, he spent three seasons with the Houston Astros as their general manager. Click came in as the successor to Jeff Luhnow in 2020. Click is credited with success in Houston, having helped put the team together that won the 2022 World Series.
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates on the field after clinching the National League East by winning the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to the last off day of the 2026 regular season.
I very much enjoyed putting a little Braves logo emoji status at work today as a nod to yesterday’s division-clinching win. Any similar displays? Let’s hear ‘em.
Tonight’s Action
With the NL East champs resting after sweeping and celebrating, there’s only three other games you can tune into tonight if you’re craving baseball. It is mostly eliminated teams playing each other for some exercise and for a strong regular season finish: Nationals at Tigers and Twins at Giants. But storms are derailing an important matchup for the AL wild card picture: the Orioles and Blue Jays are 5 and 3 games back of the last WC spot, respectively. But they’re set to start shortly at Camden Yards.
Six games left! This year has flown by. The floor is yours for reminiscing, predictions, questions, and anything else on your mind. I leave you with one of the best videos coming out of yesterday’s clubhouse shenanigans (outside of everything Brent Suter).
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 29: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on after hitting an RBI double in the third inning during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I don’t know about you, but I already miss baseball even though there are still two series to go. For the St. Louis Cardinals, those final 6 games of the 2026 campaign will be completed on the road with the first stop being in Pittsburgh starting Tuesday night. There’s little at stake other than pride, but there are some individual player achievements that are possible for St. Louis.
Scheduled Starting Pitchers
Tuesday night – Andre Pallante (RHP 12-7, 3.70 ERA, 104 SO) vs Jared Jones (RHP 4-6, 4.17 ERA, 109 SO)
Wednesday night – Matthew Liberatore (LHP 5-14, 5.36 ERA, 148 SO) vs TBD
Thursday – Kyle Leahy (RHP 10-5, 3.65 ERA, 129 SO) vs Paul Skenes (RHP 10-11, 3.91 ERA, 192 SO)
Pittsburgh Pirates Jared Jones has won 2 of his last 3 starts, but his most recent outing on September 16 was a no-decision against the Brewers as he threw 5 innings allowing 7 hits and 3 earned runs. Paul Skenes has only won 1 of his last 3 starts and his most recent was not memorable as he allowed 6 hits and 5 earned runs on September 18 as he threw 6 innings and got no decision.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe leads the Pirates with 33 home runs and 93 RBI’s.
Centerfielder Oneil Cruz has 20 homers and 67 RBI’s with a .280 batting average.
First baseman Ryan O’Hearn has 18 homers, 73 RBI’s and a .264 average.
Left fielder Bryan Reynolds has 17 home runs, 71 RBI’s and a .262 average.
Right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez has 17 homers, 47 RBI’s and a .247 average.
It’s not breaking news that the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals will not be bothered with playoff baseball in October, but there are individual achievements still within reach. As of this writing, Alec Burleson leads the National League in RBI’s with 111, but Sal Stewart is right on his heels with 110. Pete Crow-Armstrong trails both of them with 105. Jordan Walker has been stuck at 28 home runs and hasn’t launched a long ball since September 1 against the Dodgers. I would love to see him get a couple more to make the 30 home run plateau, but even more would like to see him return to the swing decisions of early 2026 Jordan Walker and not 2025 Jordan Walker. JJ Wetherholt has 17 home runs, but Pittsburgh is his hometown area and he loves hitting at PNC Park. It’s not crazy to think he could reach the 20 home run mark before this season is over next weekend.
As we enter the final 6 games of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals are 3 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates and have the same record as the Miami Marlins. The Washington Nationals only trail St. Louis by 3 games. The Cardinals need to win 5 of the final 6 games to end the season with a .500 record. That seems unlikely with a weekend trip to Milwaukee waiting for the Cardinals, but dominating the Pittsburgh Pirates in their own park would at least give them a fighting chance. We’ll see how that goes starting Tuesday night.
Will the Lakers’ offseason roster reconstruction – which included the departure of LeBron James after eight seasons in Los Angeles and addition of nine players over the last three months – provide the desired results?
After this offseason, the Lakers are fully entrenched in the Luka Doncic era. Getty Images
Will Austin Reaves be ready to be the true No. 2 behind Doncic?
The answers to some of these questions won’t be known until the end of the 2026-27 season. Others may take even longer to answer.
But the next month will provide clarity on one front: What will the Lakers do to become compliant with the league’s roster rules?
When the Lakers signed Matisse Thybulle to a veteran’s minimum contract (one year, $3.3 million) in late July, to deal put the team at 16 players signed to guaranteed standard NBA contracts – one more than the league permits during the regular season.
The Lakers have attempted to trade Jarred Vanderbilt. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Since the signing, there’s been a focus on what route the Lakers will choose to trim its roster down to a maximum of 15 players before the regular season starts in mid-October.
And with training camp around the corner, and the start of the season four weeks away, the decision will be back at the forefront of conversations.
Which route would best serve the Lakers?
Player-for-pick trade
If this option was available for the Lakers, the belief is they would’ve already pulled the trigger on the move by now.
With Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt being the players who are most likely expected to be traded or waived, the question becomes whether any team would be willing to send out a draft pick to acquire any of them.
It’s clear that isn’t the case.
The Lakers received Jaden Hardy in July for Deandre Ayton. Getty Images
Remember: The Lakers received a pair of second-round picks from the Wizards when they traded Deandre Ayton to Washington despite both Hardy and Ayton essentially being on expiring contracts.
Vanderbilt’s contract status ($12.4 million this season; $13.3 million player option for 2027-28) and Knecht’s diminished role make it unlikely the Lakers would be able to acquire even a second-round pick for either player on their own.
Consolidation trade
This is the likeliest trade scenario for the Lakers to get down to 15 players.
A 2-for-1 involving two of Hardy, Knecht and/or Vanderbilt, and a team with at least one open roster spot and a player on an expiring contract, would get the Lakers at the 15 players they need to be at by mid-October.
There’s a chance they’d still be able to acquire an asset such as a second-round pick this way.
But even if they didn’t, this scenario would make them roster compliant and maintain future financial flexibility.
Dalton Knecht’s spot on the roster could be at risk. Imagn Images
Waiving player
The least desirable option – outside of a trade that adds money onto the team’s salary cap for future seasons – would be outright waiving a player on an expiring deal, such as Hardy or Knecht.
It would put the Lakers at 15 players.
But it would also mean they’d have to eat the dead money for the rest of the season since the deadline to waive a player and use the stretch provision on their current-season salary passed last month.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 5: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres skates with the puck against Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 5, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Talk about the preseason game with Pens fans here!
Game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh locally (and ESPN+ out of market) and is available via audio on the internet/radio from 105.9 The X.
The Rays are bringing back their road grays after shelving them in 2022 and are putting "Tampa Bay" and the ray logo back on the front of a primary jersey for the first time since 2007. That year was when the franchise rebranded and dropped "Devil" from their team name. There's a blue to yellow ombré that brings a sunshine feel to the uniform and pays further tribute to their history.
Team representatives said they want to be intentional about representing the Florida city they've called home since joining the MLB in 1998. The Rays came under new ownership last summer when a group led by Patrick Zalupski bought the team from Stuart Sternberg for a reported $1.7 billion. There has been an emphasis on commitment to Tampa Bay, including plans for a new stadium in the city.
"These uniforms celebrate our long-term commitment to Tampa Bay," Ken Babby, Rays Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. "As our team travels the country, we do so with tremendous admiration for our home. Tampa Bay is always in our hearts and that's why we will wear it across our chest."
In March, the Rays asked fans for input on what they hope for in new uniforms and they listened to the feedback.
"We are particularly proud that our fans helped choose this design, and we love the fact they want the baseball world to see 'Tampa Bay' when we play on the road," Babby continued.
The road grays replace the Rays' current road uniforms, which are a navy jersey with "Rays" on the front.
Besides on the jerseys, the ombré, which harkens back to the Devil Rays days, also appears on "TB," which originated in 1998, on the team's hats and batting helmets. The original black backdrop is swapped for the team's current navy base.
