BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a home run during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After failing to score in their previous two games, the Orioles hardly looked like a team capable of overcoming an early three-run deficit. That’s why they play the games.
Shane Baz allowed three runs in the top of the first, but Baltimore held Toronto off the scoreboard for the final eight frames. Pete Alonso launched his 39th and 40th home runs of the season, and the O’s completed the comeback with a 4-3 win at Camden Yards.
Toronto kickstarted their early rally by taking advantage of a silly mistake. Baz ran the count full to leadoff hitter Brett Bateman before holding the ball for too long. The home plate umpire called Baz for a pitch timer violation, and Bateman trotted to first base. Alejandro Kirk followed by working the count full and eventually walking the old fashioned way.
Nathan Lukes delivered Toronto’s first hit of the day with a single to left field, and the Jays scored their first run three batters into the game. George Springer followed with another run-scoring single, and Sean Keys plated the third run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Baz allowed another single to Kazuma Okamoto, but the former Ray rebounded by retiring Josh Smith and Andrés Giménez.
The Orioles could have let this one spiral, but Baz settled in after the crooked number in the first. He delivered a clean second and used an inning-ending double play to erase a walk and single in the third. He retired the side in order in the fourth, faced the minimum in the fifth, and went three-up, three down in the sixth.
Baz returned to the mound and recorded a pair of outs in the seventh before giving way to Yennier Cano. He exited the game with 6.2 innings, 5 hits, three walks, and three earned runs allowed. Baz kept the Birds in the game with the quality start, but the team continued to struggle in the run support department.
Pete Alonso certainly did his part. The power-hitting first baseman stole some momentum back with his 39th home run in the bottom of the first. Alonso smoked a ball 101 MPH that cleared the scoreboard in right field. The blast marked Alonso’s MLB-best 17th opposite-field home run and continued to build his RBI lead in the American League.
The Orioles did not record their second hit until Gunnar Henderson lined a ball 105 MPH to deep center field. The ball smacked off the wall, and Henderson raced all the way to third with only one out. Unfortunately, Coby Mayo struck out and Christian Encarnacion-Strand flew out to leave Henderson at third.
Baltimore waited to record its third hit until Henderson returned to the plate with two outs in the sixth. The shortstop delivered another screaming line drive, but this one cleared the fence. The solo shot marked Henderson’s 24th homer and trimmed Toronto’s lead to one.
Encarnacion-Strand led off the seventh with a single to left, but Carlos Narváez failed to bunt him over. Samuel Basallo started the game behind the plate, but Narváez entered after Basallo took multiple foul balls off his body. Narváez popped his bunt up to the pitcher, and Rece Hinds grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Baltimore completed the comeback in the eighth with a free pass and another big fly from their team MVP. Christian Franklin pinch hit for Colton Cowser and worked a leadoff walk. Jeremiah Jackson and Dylan Beavers failed to move the potential tying run into scoring position, but Alonso proved he was in scoring position all along.
The Jays summoned submarine pitcher Tyler Rogers in hopes of avoiding the long ball, but Rogers left a ball belt high to Alonso. The slugger hooked the ball and sent it toward Mr. Splash to give Baltimore a 4-3 lead.
Yennier Cano had already returned to post a zero in the eighth, and Baltimore went with Rico Garcia in a save situation. Garcia struck out Keys and Okamoto before retiring Smith to end the game.
The win pushed Baltimore to 76-81 and dropped Toronto to 77-80. Chicago holds the final wild card spot at 80-76.
Baz rebounded, and Gunnar smoked a couple balls, but go ahead and write Pete Alonso’s name in the comments for the Most Birdland Player of the Game.
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers (6) celebrates hitting a solo home run during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee., on May 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
It’s a new week here at BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and join us. We’re so happy to see you. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a couple of tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week I asked you if you thought Pete Crow-Armstrong will win the home run crown. With six games to go, he’s now tied with Kyle Schwarber with 45. When I wrote this last week, PCA “only” had 44.
It was close, but 52 percent of you think that Crow-Armstrong will either win the title outright or tie with Schwarber and share the crown.
Here’s the part with the music and movies. You can skip that if you want. It’s not like I’ll know.
We’re just two days away from the 100th anniversary of saxophonist John Coltrane’s birthday. Of course, Coltrane was a part of the first great Miles Davis Quintet (or Sextet) and played on the seminal jazz album, Kind of Blue in 1959.
Here’s Davis and Coltrane playing “So What” from that album live in New York in 1959. Trane’s solo starts around the 2-minute mark and you’ll notice that other than pianist Wynton Kelly and drummer Jimmy Cobb who provide the beat, the rest of the band just leaves the stage and just lets Coltrane do his thing.
It’s not like I haven’t been watching movies this past weekend. I’ve finally watched director Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973) with Elliot Gould as detective Philip Marlowe, moved from the ‘40s to the ‘70s, but still portrayed as an anachronism. I’ve also been trying to keep up with Turner Classic Movies rundown of every film director Stanley Kubrick ever made.
So what I’m trying to say that I’ve spent too much time watching films and not enough time writing about films. I didn’t have to time to give these films that I’ve seen the attention they deserve.
So I just thought I’d throw it over to you to talk about your favorite films from either Kubrick or Altman. Do you like Spartacus or Dr. Strangelove better? M*A*S*H or The Player? Are you still in awe of 2001: A Space Odyssey? Do you love Nashville? Or compare the two: Eyes Wide Shut or A Prairie Home Companion, to mark their respective final films.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
First, an announcement from the Double-A Southern League.
⭐️ SMOKIES ALL-STARS ⭐️
A trio of Smokies are bringing home 2026 Double-A League All-Star honors! 🔥
Just in case you can’t see that, three Smokies were named to the Southern League All-Star team. Catcher Owen Ayers hit .304/.417/.591 with 16 home runs in 65 games in Knoxville before moving up to Triple-A Iowa.
Dawson Netz made 17 starts and seven relief appearances for the Smokies, totaling 85.2 innings. He struck out 103 and walked 35 en route to a record of 7-4 and an ERA of 2.94.
Brooks Caple joined the Smokies in May after five starts in Low-A South Bend. He made 16 starts and one relief appearance. He went 4-4 with a 3.24 ERA in Double-A. Caple pitched 86 innings and struck out 82 while walking just 25.
With the minor league season now over, I’m going to ask you for your pick for the Cubs Minor League Player of the Year. I’m just including position players in this vote and I’ll try to let you vote on the Minor League Pitcher of the Year either tomorrow or Wednesday.
As I see it, there are three candidates for Cubs Minor League Player of the Year. The official award that the Cubs will announce shortly is named after Buck O’Neil, so if you want, this is your vote for the Buck O’Neill Award.
The first is one I’ve already mentioned, 25-year-old catcher Owen Ayers. Ayers started the year in High-A South Bend (having spent the first two years of his professional career entirely in Low-A Myrtle Beach) and blew threw that level in just 11 games. He hit six home runs in those 11 games.
Ayers spent the middle part of the season in Double-A, and I’ve listed his numbers for Knoxville above. That got him promoted to Triple-A Iowa for his final 49 games, where he slowed down a little with the major league balls that didn’t fly quite as far. But he still did well in Iowa, posting a line of .247/.365/.356 with three home runs. Ayers also made big strides with his defense behind the plate, going from someone we hoped could stick behind the plate to someone we know can catch, even if we don’t know ultimately how good he’ll be defensively. We do know he has a strong arm as he threw out 41 out of 146 batters trying to steal over the three levels.
Between the three levels, Ayers’ final line was .289/403/.526 with 25 home runs and 13 steals.
The next candidate went through three levels this season, going from Myrtle Beach to Knoxville. Outfielder/first baseman Josiah Hartshorn was a sixth-round pick out of high school last year and didn’t make his professional debut until this year. At only 19, he was a dominating hitter through the two levels of A ball. Hartshorn only played 11 games in Myrtle Beach before his promotion and only three regular-season games in Double-A.
So Hartshorn spent most of the year in High-A, where he was named to the Midwest League All-Star Team. For South Bend, Hartshorn hit .297/.405/.560 with 18 home runs and 12 steals in 83 games.
Hartshorn’s overall line between the three levels was .284/.407/.518 with 26 doubles, five triples and 23 home runs. He stole 17 bases. He set a South Bend Cubs record with 85 RBI and he had 112 RBI total.
The third candidate only played in two levels, 22-year-old outfielder Kane Kepley. Kepley was an absolute menace in South Bend, hitting .254/.435/.424 with seven home runs and 50 steals over 93 games. He did pretty much the same thing in Double-A. He only hit .212 with the batting average, but he had a .382 OBP and three home runs and 20 steals over just 32 games.
Overall, Kepley hit .243/.422/.401 with with ten home runs and 70 steals. He was only caught stealing six times. Kepley struck out way more than he walked with 120 walks to 89 strikeouts over 595 plate appearances. (You can add his 22 hit-by-pitches to his walk total if you’d like.) He’s also a very good defensive center fielder.
So who is your pick for the Buck O’Neill Cubs Minor League Player of the Year?
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Washington Capitals rookie Andrew Cristall was kicked out of a Monday, Sept. 21 preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers after forcefully retaliating for a hit on his teammate.
Philadelphia defenseman Hunter McDonald had delivered a hard but clean hit into the boards on Washington forward Ryan Leonard. Cristall skated up and delivered a cross-check to the face of McDonald, sending him to the ice. Cristall tried cross-checking McDonald again before being intercepted by Flyers players as tempers flared.
Cristall went to the penalty box and was tossed after receiving a cross-checking major and a game misconduct, ending his night. McDonald and Leonard stayed in the game.
This is the cross-checking major for Andrew Cristall, who also got a game misconduct. Got McDonald in the neck.
“His heart’s in the right place," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said, per The Hockey News. "He’s trying to stick up for one of his brothers. He’s trying to do the right thing. … You just try want to try to do that as clean as you can in those moments.”
Cristall was drafted in 2023 by the Capitals and played last season in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where Monday's game was held.
Leonard, entering his second full season in the NHL, recently signed an eight-year extension with a $10.5 million average.
NHL preseason injury updates
Flyers forward Denver Barkey left Monday's game with a lower-body injury. ... Pittsburgh's Ben Kindel (lower body) left the preseason game against Buffalo. ... Columbus defenseman Dante Fabbro suffered an upper-body injury against Detroit. ... Rangers prospect Adam Sykora limped off the ice after being checked against the Devils.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 20: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks gestures while running the bases after hitting a grand slam against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Yankees 8-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This season marks the sixth since the Rockies traded Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals. For the first time since he left Colorado, the Rockies aren’t paying part of his salary this season.
The eight-time All-Star third baseman is having a resurgence with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026, hitting .247/.322/.455 with 27 homers and 82 RBI. Thanks to his grand slam that helped the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees, Arizona has a slim playoff chance as it is four games out of the NL Wild Card race with six games left. The slam was Arenado’s third of the season and the ninth of his career, with the most famous in my mind being the walk-off Father’s Day grand slam for the cycle in 2017.
Now, Arenado and the Diamondbacks are coming to town as the Rockies host their final home series of 2026. At 35, and with one year remaining on his contract, Arenado’s career is winding down. While the Diamondbacks’ odds of making the playoffs aren’t high, they at least exist.
With all the history, the breakup and the time since, how do you feel about Nolan Arenado now?
Are you cheering him on in his career and this series?
Is it still too soon?
Would you rather the Arenado & Co. earn a Wild Card spot over the Phillies, Padres or Cubs?
This will be the second of four preseason games after the Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in their preseason opener on Monday.
Like Monday's game, Tuesday's contest will feature a mix of veterans and younger players. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be in the lineup, as will Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck.
Here's the full lineup:
Forwards
Rutger McGroarty
Nick Robertson
Tommy Novak
Bill Zonnon
Liam Ruck
Ville Koivunen
Egor Chinakhov
Rickard Rakell
Mikhail Ilyin
Evgeni Malkin
Markus Ruck
Atley Calvert
Sidney Crosby
Defensemen
Kaedan Korczak
Ilya Solovyov
Tomas Galvas
Sam Girard
Finn Harding
Phil Kemp
Declan Carlile
Goaltenders
Taylor Gauthier
Arturs Silovs
This could be our first glimpse of Robertson playing on the top line with Crosby and Rakell. Robertson has been with them throughout camp and has looked very comfortable.
The same applies to Girard and Korczak on the same defensive pair, since they've played together during camp.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) is in the dugout in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s return from a right thumb sprain is near, meaning the Yankees face some interesting decisions.
The second baseman could be activated from the injured list as soon as Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Rays, and while the corresponding roster move appears simple (Max Schuemann), the potential lineup moves bear watching.
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After Chisholm got hurt diving into second base Sept. 8, the Yankees called up Anthony Volpe to get some run at the position he had mostly transitioned to at Triple-A, and he made the most of it.
In the 10 games since Volpe was recalled, he has started at second base nine times (José Caballero started the other) and mostly looked sharp, batting .286 with a .753 OPS and four steals.
Whether Volpe has done enough to warrant at-bats once Chisholm returns remains to be seen. Shortly before he was called back up, the natural shortstop had also started to mix in some third base, starting three games there, though Aaron Boone would only offer, “We’ll see,” when asked whether that could be an option for Volpe with Chisholm back.
“First things first, getting Jazz back and then we’ll figure it out as the week unfolds how I want to play it,” Boone said.
The Yankees have not gotten much offensive production from their third basemen this year, especially of late. Since returning from his own thumb sprain Sept. 1, Ryan McMahon has hit just 6-for-40 (.150) with a .402 OPS, with Caballero starting at third over him Sunday against a righty. Amed Rosario has often started at third against lefties, and while he has not hit in line with his career numbers, the Yankees continue to believe he will.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) is in the dugout in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Boone could also platoon Volpe and Chisholm at second base, as the lefty-hitting Chisholm is batting only .221 with a .654 OPS against lefties. But the pending free agent had just been starting to get hot in a disappointing season, hitting .391 with a 1.028 OPS over his last 15 games before getting hurt.
If and where Volpe fits on the playoff roster is just one of the many decisions they will have to consider over this final week of the regular season.
“You know it’s going to take a lot of players and a lot of people when you get to spring training and the season unfolds,” Boone said. “We’ll have hopefully some tough decisions to make when we’re setting postseason rosters and things like that. But that’s a better problem to have.”
Clarke Schmidt was expected to see the team doctor early this week after experiencing biceps cramping while warming up Sunday, which kept him from entering the game. The right-hander had just made his return from Tommy John surgery and is trying to carve out a role in the playoff bullpen.
Ryan Weathers (left forearm flexor strain) could also have a role in a playoff bullpen, but first the lefty will need to face hitters this week as he tries to show the Yankees he could jump right into postseason action without pitching in a game since he got hurt Aug. 22.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 8: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 8, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Bucks have shown serious interest in All-Star center Jalen Duren, per The Athletic. Duren is deadlocked with the Detroit Pistons over a long-term contract extension and could switch teams this offseason or in 2027 if they can’t reach an agreement.
Still, Duren’s confidence is born out of the fact that his market for next summer looks quite robust. As The Athletic previously reported, the Sacramento Kings have signaled a willingness to pay him a max-salary deal next summer. That alone has aided his leverage, but there are at least two other teams—including the Milwaukee Bucks—that are known to have serious interest in Duren (both now and, potentially, next summer).
Duren averaged 19.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG while shooting 65% from the field last season. However, those averages slumped during the postseason in the face of physical coverage and frequent double-teams. Duren averaged just 10.2 PPG as Detroit bowed out in the conference semifinals.
ESPN recently reported that Detroit offered Duren a fully guaranteed, five-year, $200m contract to stay in the Motor City, but the two sides are still far away from concluding their contract saga. Duren reportedly felt disrespected by the Pistons’ negotiation tactics and spent most of the offseason away from the Pistons.
Although outlets cite the Sacramento Kings as the most enthusiastic suitor for Duren’s services next year, the Bucks are also reportedly vying for the 22-year-old’s services.
The roadblock preventing Duren and Detroit from agreeing to an extension is their valuation of the center. Duren reportedly wanted to sign with Detroit on a supermax deal. Duren is eligible to sign for a five-year, $287m contract, but due to Duren’s playoff drop-offs, Detroit has consistently offered Duren a much lower figure. To beat Sacramento for Duren’s signature, Milwaukee would need to offer Duren a supermax—or a very close figure—as well as a clear plan toward contention in the East.
The Bucks’ apparent interest in the All-NBA center clearly means that Milwaukee likely doesn’t see a long-term future with Myles Turner, which makes a lot of sense given his age profile. Turner slumped after signing a four-year, $109m contract with Milwaukee last July, averaging about 12 points and five rebounds last season. Especially as the Bucks grow younger and look to ease into their rebuild, the 30-year-old is no longer an essential part of Milwaukee’s future.
In theory, the Bucks could execute a sign-and-trade for Duren this summer, but it appears practically impossible. The Bucks would probably have to give up key pieces of their burgeoning young core—including Ryan Rollins and draft capital—to meet the Pistons’ price. Additionally, despite their contract saga, Detroit leadership still sees Duren as a foundational piece of their roster as they continue to compete for a championship.
With Detroit and Duren still going back and forth on a potential new contract, Milwaukee can only wait and watch to see whether Duren enters unrestricted free agency in 2027. It should be noted that, given Detroit’s spacing concerns, a stretch five like Myles Turner would theoretically fit quite well offensively.
Australian women’s captain Sophie Molineux has opened up on her surprise ascension to the top job, revealing the ‘oh, s***’ moment the prospect of leading the team became real.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 21: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Elmer Soderblom (25) skates against Buffalo Sabres defenseman Liam Valente (28) in the preseason NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres on September 21, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Lineup
The Penguins have a decent enough lineup for the first preseason game. Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel and Kris Letang are among the skaters dressed. Sergei Mursahov gets the start, with the plan to sub him out about halfway through to get Joel Blomqvist some game minutes too.
Not much to say about the visiting Sabres lineup, very much a ‘first game of the year on the road’ bare bones lineup offering. In fact, head coach Lindy Ruff doesn’t even show up, gotta love NHL preseason!
All in all, a pretty quiet period to start the season. Ryan Graves takes the first penalty of the year, the Pens kill it off. Interestingly, Kindel takes the first PK shift – which might suggest an expanding role now that it’s known that Blake Lizotte will be on the shelf for a while.
Pittsburgh scores first, Andrei Kuzmenko starts the play from his own end, Bryan Rust is the one that really makes it happen skating the puck through the zone and drawing the attention of the defenders. Connor Dewar slips into the play, Rust hits him with a pass and Dewar doesn’t mess around with a quick shot through traffic that avoids everything until it hits the back of the net.
Kindel doesn’t return to the bench after the first period, he did block a fairly weak looking shot in the leg/foot late in the period. No reason to push anything in the preseason, hopefully it’s just precautionary in nature.
Rust hit a crossbar early, a little later after a great shift by the Pens, Hendrix Lapierre whiffed on a shot all alone from in front of the net that gently hit the far post and stayed out.
Near the midpoint of the period, Murashov apparently keeps the puck out of the net in a scramble. Owen Pickering hustles back after taking an awkward push legs-first into the wall to help out.
Honestly, don’t see how that puck stayed out at the very end of the sequence, but hey, it’s preseason. Worthy of the good effort.
Pittsburgh gets their first power play with 9:30 to play in the period, they also get a new goalie as Murashov rotates out (as planned) and Blomqvist gets in the crease for the second half of the game.
First power play group is Rust, Kuzmenko, Broz, Lapierre and Letang. Lapierre is the beneficiary of Kindel’s absence.
Justin Brazeau goes down painfully on the second power play group, had his feet taken out and a heavy spill into the boards. Leads to a 32 second 5v3. A bunch of quick passes and Rust makes the Sabres pay. 2-0
Avery Hayes answered that a few minutes later, firing a spinning shot to the top shelf after he stole the puck, just seconds before the end of the period. 3-1 after two periods.
Lapierre springs Hallander for a great look on the rush, puck is stopped and then Brazeau trips a Sabre 200 feet from his net. Whoops. Pittsburgh kills off the penalty.
The rest of the period is definitely a period of preseason hockey. Buffalo pulls the goalie with about 3 minutes left. Soderblom scores on the empty net to make it 4-1.
Some other thoughts
Overall, as with any preseason game, there was a mix of positives and negatives. Nothing overwhelming in either direction but some notable items could include: Lapierre won 4/5 of his first period faceoffs, got a power play assist and very much should have scored a goal. Soderblom recorded a game-high four hits and the ENG. Hallander was strong on the puck and had five shots on goal.
On the minus side, Graves still looks as brutal as ever. He surrendered a shot on the rush where the shooter curled the puck back and used Graves as a screen, always dangerous. The penalty he took was unnecessary. Chasing players into the corner to support a partner and leaving the front of the net open. Low percentage passes turning into icing. It does look like he’s playing noticeably more physical than usual, but hardly any more effective in this look.
Also didn’t really think Broz had that eye-popping of a game. Nothing necessarily bad, but he’s a guy who needs to stand out (as he did in the exhibition games last year). Wasn’t on display tonight. Just one night, but something to note considering how some of the other fringe players were more visible.
And, of course, this could be bullet point number one but the biggest potential outcome of the game would be if Kindel misses time with the regular season starting on the 30th. He looked really good early, arguably the most visible and best player for the Pens. He won 6/7 faceoffs, drove all the way to the net for a couple of potential scoring chances, he was playing very well. Hopefully the injury is nothing, otherwise the center position for the start of the season becomes less than ideal in a hurry.
Was very surprised to see Pickering and Brazeau both continue to play after their respective spills into the boards. Brazeau even banged his stick in the wall in anger while coming off, typically a tell that some damage has been done. Fortunately that wasn’t the case.
Murashov wasn’t asked to do a lot but performed well. He was square to shooters, absorbed pucks without giving up rebounds and had a sharp night stopping all 13 shots he saw.
For his part, Blomqvist was OK. Got beat once while killing a penalty on a nice shot, not much of a demerit there. Otherwise was fine. As tends to be the case between the two goalies, Blomqvist was pretty good but Murashov was a tick better than him on this night, very much in-line with their past.
Avery Hayes has a lot of Tyler Kennedy in him, and I mean that in a very complimentary way. Small right handed forward with a good motor and never misses an opportunity to put the puck on the net (7 shot attempts). The lineup may be too crowded still for him to find a spot coming out of camp (though at this rate of injury and near injury, a couple more games remain to carve out more teammates..), but surely Hayes is looking at a mid-season callup and chance to play a lot of NHL games this season if he keeps going like he has been.
Unremarkably fine debut for the Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kris Letang pair. That’s not a dig, just not much to say. The Sabres didn’t bring a lot to measure up against them, they didn’t do anything to catch the eye in a negative way, regardless.
There’s an adrmiable simplicity to Kuzmenko’s game. He’s going to get to the front of the net, then he’s going to see what happens. Maybe he gets a pass coming in. Maybe he can knock loose a puck. He’s got a booming shot too but overall he’s a guy who knows where to go to score goals in the NHL.
Bryan Rust looks ready for another year to keep on going. A nice goal, an even better primary assist and another assist on the ENG made for a perfectly expected debut as the most accomplished forward on the ice tonight for either team. Wouldn’t expect anything less than a very strong showing and Rust definitely came through.
The Pens are right back at it tomorrow night, with even more star power for a lineup that will include Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and the Ruck twins. We’ll wait for that and hopefully a positive injury update on Kindel as the page turns away from the first preseason game of the year.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline during the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The Knicks have a new replay maestro.
Ed Flynn, a video coordinator with the Pelicans for the past three seasons, will serve as Mike Brown’s “challenge guy,” The Post has learned.
It’s a pressurized role defined by split-second decisions to recommend a challenge or pass, depending on real-time replays on his iPad. More than most positions on the Knicks staff, Flynn’s successes and failures can be quantified and directly impact a game’s result.
Jordan Brink held that job for the Knicks the past two seasons, challenging at an impressive success rate while helping win Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a momentum-shifting challenge.
Brink’s challenge recommendation changed a Knicks turnover into three OG Anunoby free throws with 2:37 remaining in New York’s 105-104 victory over the Spurs. He will get a championship ring and an assistant position with the Chicago Bulls under new coach Tiago Splitter.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline during the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brink’s contract with the Knicks expired, and the Bulls gig represented a promotion, league sources said.
Before Brink, Scott King and Darren Erman were the “challenge guys.” Now, Flynn will monitor the important iPad. His official title is assistant coach/special situations, a league source said.
According to Flynn’s online bios, he’s tall (6-foot-10) and played for Williams College in Massachusetts. He served as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami, then as a video intern and coordinator with the Charlotte Hornets.
In 2023, Flynn joined the Pelicans and left as their head video coordinator. The Pelicans had significant staff turnover after hiring head coach Jamahl Mosley in May.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) warms up with assistant coach Carson Shanks before Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
The Knicks coaching staff remains mostly the same from last season. Top assistants Chris Jent, Rick Brunson, Brendan O’Connor and Erman are all returning, sources said.
Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Peter Patton, who have earned high praise from players for their individual development work, also return.
The Buffalo Sabres were eerily silent over the summer, in spite of losing a few key pieces from the club that made the playoffs, won the Atlantic Division, and advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. GM Jarmo Kekalainen is currently betting on youngsters such as Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn and Jiri Kulich to improve on their production to make up for the 44 goals lost by the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram.
The club currently has just over $4 million in available cap space entering the season, leaving Kekalainen the flexibility to jump on an evolving situation with another NHL club. The Sabres have long been connected to Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but the odds of their obtaining the multi-Vezina Trophy winner have decreased since the draft, mostly due to goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s trade protection kicking in.
There has been no chatter connecting Buffalo to Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (since they are not on his three-team trade list, and since the Sabres are loaded with players who can play up the middle), or to RFA blueliners Simon Edvinsson(DET) or Alexander Nikishin(CAR), but an opportunity for Kekalainen could present itself based on the current situation with the Columbus Blue Jackets and RFA center Adam Fantilli.
Where will the Sabres turn if they struggle offensively after the departure of Alex Tuch?
The 21-year-old is coming off second straight 50+ point season and is looking to follow the trend of youngsters making big money out of their entry-level deal. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast,
Fantilli is looking for a big raise on a long-term deal, which could be in the neighborhood of the $13.5 million that Anaheim paid 41-goal winger Cutter Gauthier last week.
Once Columbus gets Fantilli signed, GM Don Waddell will have to plan accordingly to manage his salary cap, which could mean moving a player out. Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko is someone Kekalainen drafted as GM in Columbus and is entering the final year of his three-year bridge deal at a $3.85 million AAV. The 25-year-old has exceeded the 20-goal mark each year, with a career-high 31 goals in 2024-25.
Marchenko indicated during the summer that he would not be staying with the Blue Jackets past the remaining two years of control (he is eligible for arbitration next summer), but with him on an undervalued cap hit, Waddell has to calculate whether he can afford to re-sign the winger, if he is open to signing an extension, or his goal is to walk to unrestricted free agency in 2028.
Montreal was rumored to be a potential destination, but the signing of veteran Chris Kreider may have made that less likely. The Sabres may need to add a scorer to replace Tuch’s production if their young players cannot fill the gap, but that is a move that will most likely be made by both clubs at the halfway mark of the season, when each team knows more about their respective situations.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 15: Blade Tidwell #46 of the San Francisco Giants delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 15, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Minnesota Twins to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Blade Tidwell, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.56 ERA, 4.75 FIP, with 42 strikeouts to 21 walks in 53.1 innings pitched. His last start was in Tuesday’s 10-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, in which he allowed two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk in six and two thirds innings
He’ll be facing off against Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.74 ERA, 4.80 FIP, with 107 strikeouts to 39 walks in 125.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Twins’ 5-4 extra innings win over the New York Yankees last Wednesday, in which he allowed just two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in six innings.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 21: Detroit Tigers Ben Malgeri (53) celebrates his home run with teammates during game between Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers on September 21, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Tigers got their week going in high-scoring fashion with a 9-2 victory over the Nationals.
The postseason hunt might be over for the Tigers this season, but there was still baseball left to play, and hopefully more games to win in the final week of the season. They opened the week with a three-game series against the Nationals, and for the first game we got to see highly touted rookie River Ryan, a main piece of the Tarik Skubal trade, in his Tigers debut. He was up against DJ Herz for the Nationals.
Ryan got things underway nicely in his debut with a three-up, three-down inning, including striking out the first batter he faced on a nasty changeup. Gleyber Torres walked to open the home half, then on a wild pitch from Herz, he advanced to second. Hao-Yu Lee hit a ground-rule double, bringing Torres home and putting the Tigers on the board early.
Ben Malgeri doubled, but two outs followed, leaving him stranded. We must also acknowledge how savage the camera and production crew for the Tigers are because of this.
Jason Benetti gets absolutely roasted by his own production crew with the camera cut after his Austro-Turkish War reference. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/nXPsCi4LE7
In the second, Dylan Crews got a one-out single, then Jorbit Vivas walked to put two men on. But then next two batters were out, getting Ryan out of the very minor jam. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Jacob Young doubled to start the second. With two outs there was a pause in play as Abimelec Ortiz needed to walk off an uncomfortable foul. When he finally came back he lobbed a blooper that looked like it might drop, but Malgeri swept in to get the final out of the inning.
That was all she wrote for Ryan, who was always going to be on a short leash for his debut game. He went 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K on 43 pitches. He had a strong fourseam and sinker pairing, with really good differentiation between the two. Despite giving up three hits, he showed solid command of a deep mix of high quality pitchese and should be a nice addition to the rotation with frontline starter upside. Just stay healthy, River.
Valencia got a two-out double in the bottom of the inning, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him in.
Keider Montero replaced Ryan in the fourth inning. He gave up a one-out walk to Dylan Crews, but then got the next two batters out in order. In the bottom of the inning Dingler took a leadoff walk, but one out later, it was Javier Baez who got to play game hero, with a two-run homer to left.
In the fifth, Young got a one-out single, but the Nationals weren’t able to turn it into anything. Up against reliever Luis Perales, Riley Greene got a one-out walk in the home half, then Valencia got his third double of the night. Ben Malgeri then hit a three-run homer, taking the Tigers to a 7-0 lead.
Dillon Dingler doubled off the outfield wall in a hit that looked awfully close to leaving the park, but there was no doubt about the ball going over the fence when Spencer Torkelson homered to bring two more runs in.
Baez drew a walk, but two outs followed and the Tigers went back to their dugout after extending their lead to 9-0.
In the sixth, the Nationals went 1-2-3. In the bottom of the inning Lee hit a leadoff single, but the next three batters went down in order to quickly end the threat.
The Nationals once again went three-up, three down in the top of the seventh. Josiah Gray was the new Nationals pitcher for the home half and Dingler got a single with a little thanks to second base, where the ball hit and bounced safely into the outfield. His good luck swiftly ended when Torkelson grounded into a double play. A pinch-hitting Zach McKinstry ended the inning with a lineout.
Drew Sommers came in for the eighth. James Woods got a one-out single, and then with two outs a pinch-hitting Yohandy Morales homered for the Nationals’ first two runs of the night. They’d have to settle for just those as the next out ended the inning. Lee got a two-out double in the bottom of the inning but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him home.
Beau Brieske came out to close things down for the Tigers in the ninth, and he did just that, getting the side out in order. The Tigers claimed victory for the first game of the series.
The Colorado Avalanche couldn’t overcome a sluggish start Monday night, falling 3-1 to the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre in their second preseason game.
Gabriel Vilardi led Winnipeg offensively with a goal and two assists, while Josh Morrissey added two assists. Stuart Skinner stopped 31 of Colorado’s 32 shots to help the Jets secure the victory.
Georgii Merkulov scored Colorado’s lone goal, with Fabian Lysell picking up an assist. Scott Wedgewood stopped 13 of 14 shots before giving way to Ilya Nabokov, who allowed two goals on five shots in relief.
The result was the exact opposite of what occurred in Colorado’s first preseason game Sunday, when the Avalanche defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Colorado was outshot in that contest, but Monday brought a different story: The Avalanche held a commanding 32-19 edge in shots against Winnipeg and still came away on the wrong side of the score.
If there was one familiar theme, however, it was the power play. Colorado went 0-for-3 with the man advantage, an all-too-familiar struggle that plagued the Avalanche throughout last season and remains an area in need of improvement.
First Period
The Jets earned the game’s first power play when Brett Kulak was whistled for hooking just past the midway point of the opening period.
The ensuing man advantage put Colorado’s penalty kill under pressure as Winnipeg peppered Wedgewood with shots, but the Avalanche held firm. Alex Gagne got in front of one attempt, while Parker Kelly blocked two more, including one that shattered his stick on impact. Both players showed the kind of willingness to sacrifice their bodies typically associated with playoff hockey, helping Colorado weather what was otherwise a dangerous power play from the Jets.
The Avalanche’s play began to unravel, however, as the period wore on. Colorado struggled to win defensive-zone faceoffs, chased the puck around its own end and committed several dangerous turnovers and errant passes in front of Wedgewood. The mistakes forced the goaltender to work far harder than necessary, leaving him to make saves from awkward angles while dealing with a steady barrage of shots.
Noah Juulsen provided another bright spot defensively, using his stick effectively to deflect passes and poke pucks away to disrupt Winnipeg’s offensive possessions. He also had a few questionable passes that created unnecessary danger, but his ability to break up plays helped Colorado limit some of the Jets’ opportunities.
Eventually, the pressure caught up with Colorado.
With 1:05 remaining in the period, Vilardi found space in the slot and ripped a one-timer past Wedgewood, giving Winnipeg a 1-0 lead and capping a rough stretch for the Avalanche in their own zone.
Winnipeg finished the opening period with a 9-4 advantage in shots, leaving Colorado with plenty to clean up heading into the second.
Second Period
The Avalanche began the second period trailing by a goal, but there was no shortage of offensive activity.
Gagne generated Colorado’s first significant chance of the period with a sharp wrist shot, but Skinner snared it with his glove and appeared to have a few words for the forward after the whistle.
Colorado soon went to the power play when Winnipeg forward Davis Burnside was called for hooking. Instead of establishing sustained pressure in the offensive zone, however, the Avalanche found themselves on their heels. Cole Koepke forced a turnover that sent Winnipeg the other way, and the Jets quickly generated three shots on Wedgewood before Colorado could regain control. The veteran netminder turned aside all three to keep the Avalanche within one.
The physicality then escalated, resulting in matching minor penalties for both teams. Lysell was whistled for cross-checking Mario Ferraro twice in the back, something Ferraro clearly took exception to. Moments later, after Vladislav Namestnikov was leveled by Gustav Stjernberg at the blue line, Namestnikov came to Lysell’s defense and roughed him up. Both players were sent to the penalty box.
That created a brief stretch of 4-on-4 hockey before Winnipeg was called for too many men on the ice, sending Colorado back to the power play.
On the ensuing advantage, Adam Beckman one-timed a pass from the right circle, but Skinner turned it aside as the Winnipeg goaltender continued to put together a strong outing.
With just under four minutes remaining in the period, Colorado continued searching for a way to break through. Sam Malinski created an opportunity off a faceoff win, dancing across the blue line before snapping a wrist shot toward the net. Skinner was square to the attempt and easily swallowed it.
The Jets eventually doubled their lead late in the period when Mark Scheifele threaded a perfect backhand pass to Cole Perfetti at the backdoor. Perfetti made no mistake, finishing the play with a slick wrist shot to put Winnipeg ahead 2-0.
Third Period
Lysell was sent to the penalty box early in the third period for roughing up Jets defenseman Henry Thrun, who voiced his displeasure as the forward headed to the box, prompting officials to step in and separate the two.
The Avalanche briefly appeared to get on the board when Gustav Stjernberg unleashed a shot from the point that found its way past Skinner. However, the Jets challenged the play for goaltender interference and won after it was determined that Fedor Svechkov interfered with the goaltender. Replay showed Svechkov battling Dylan DeMelo for position in the crease before making contact with Skinner’s glove.
The goal was ultimately overturned, and Winnipeg quickly responded at the other end. DeMelo fired a precise wrist shot over Nabokov’s glove to extend the Jets’ lead to 3-0.
Merkulov, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado in the offseason, finally got the Avalanche on the board with 5:26 remaining in regulation, jamming home a rebound that Skinner thought he had covered to cut the deficit to two.
Lysell, who picked up the assist on the goal, joined the Avalanche from Boston in the offseason trade that sent Ivan Ivan to the Bruins, giving Colorado another young forward to work into its lineup.
The Avalanche went back to the power play late after Perfetti was called for tripping and generated several looks around the Winnipeg net, but Skinner continued to deny them. Colorado couldn’t find another goal, and the Jets held on for a 3-1 victory.
The Avalanche showed signs of life throughout the third period, creating several opportunities and finally breaking through for a goal, but unfortunately, it was too little, too late. Colorado couldn’t find a way past Skinner again, as the Winnipeg goaltender stood tall when the Avalanche needed a second goal. When Skinner is playing at the top of his game, he remains one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, and he showed exactly why Monday night.
Moving on up: Infielder Caleb Bonemer had another great season, one that recognized as a South Atlantic League All-Star at season’s end. | Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
Note: We will have companion podcasts all week for our season wraps for each affiliate, so look out over on the right rail on Tuesday for our South Atlantic League champion Winston-Salem Dash season wrap podcast!
The Winston-Salem Dash finished 73-58 (.557) in the regular season, good for fourth out of 12 teams in the South Atlantic League. The Dash went 38-28 in the first half and 35-30 in the second half, and somewhat ironically it was their weaker part, the five-over second half, that punched their ticket for the postseason. The Dash got off to a fast start, going 15-9 in April and never finishing worse than .500 in any month. Among teams in the Sally, Winston-Salem ranked second in OPS (.822) and runs scored (826). Although the Dash ranked eighth in ERA (4.98) and runs allowed (727), their run differential (+99) was third in the South Atlantic League.
The Dash pulled off an massive upset over Bowling Green (82-48) in the Division Series, beating them two games to zero; among 120 teams in the full-season minors, only three teams finished with a better record than the Hot Rods.
Incredibly, W-S was not finished, as it faced Greensboro in the Championship Series; somehow despite sporting a phenomenal 82-50 record that ranked in the Top 10 of all minors teams this year, the Grasshoppers were merely the third-best club in the Sally.
Not that it mattered to the Dash: In Game 1 of the title series, Winston-Salem scored eight runs in the second to propel themselves to a 15-8 victory. Since this was another best-of-three series, suddenly the Dash were one win away from taking the cake. Game 2 was an entirely different type of matchup, but once again, the Dash found a way to bring home the win by a score of 2-0. Just like that, the Dash had won the South Atlantic League Championship, and given that the Barons entered this season with back-to-back titles, this marks the third season that a White Sox affiliate has won it all.
Starting with the Top 30 White Sox prospects who got serious playing time with the Dash, we will start with the South Side Sox and MLB No. 2 White Sox prospect, infielder Caleb Bonemer. Bonemer, 20, opened the season with Winston-Salem, where he performed admirably. Bonemer slashed .238/.381/.556 (139 wRC+) in 61 games. On top of that, Bonemer stole 10 bases in 13 attempts (76.9%). To top it off, Bonemer proceeded to post a .261/.379/.545 (140 wRC+) slash line in 71 games for the Barons. No matter how we slice it, this was another sizable step forward for Bonemer, who plays shortstop, third base, and he even got some reps in center field at the tail end of the season. Bonemer’s performance with the Dash was strong enough to get him onto the South Atlantic League All-Star team.
Infielder Javier Mogollón, 20, MLB’s No. 12 White Sox prospect and No. 25 at South Side Sox, also made a big impact with the Dash. Mogollón started the season with Kannapolis, where he slashed .257/.357/.442 (112 wRC+) in 57 games. After being promoted to Winston-Salem on July 28, Mogollón made even more of an impact, slashing .268/.385/.487 (122 wRC+) in 34 games to wrap up the regular season. Mogollón, who plays second base and shortstop, added a bullet point to his resume in the postseason. Mogollón launched a clutch, three-run homer to tie the game with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the Division Series against Bowling Green (82-48). The Dash proceeded to win that game in the 10th. In addition, Mogollón hit a two-run triple in Game 2 to help complete the sweep. On paper, Mogollón’s defense should be a strength moving forward, as MLB Pipeline grades his run tool at 60, his arm tool at 55, and his field tool at 50.
In 111 games, all with the Dash, shortstop Kyle Lodise, 22, slashed .230/.380/.440 (118 wRC+). Like Bonemer and Mogollón, Lodise was part of a strong infield that reached base quite often. Lodise also swiped 42 bases in 51 attempts (82.4%), as he was a major threat after reaching base. Lodise is MLB’s and South Side Sox’s No. 13 White Sox prospect, and he is living up to the hype since the White Sox drafted him in the third round in 2025.
Outfielder George Wolkow, 20, was also with the Dash for the entire season, and he provided some pop. Wolkow, MLB’s No. 14 White Sox prospect and at No. 15 with South Side Sox, went to Downers Grove North High School in the greater Chicago area. Wolkow slashed .239/.317/.446 (95 wRC+), and he led the team with 22 homers and 100 RBIs. Wolkow also swiped 15 bases, although he was caught seven times for a success rate of 68.2%, slightly below the cutoff that indicates an attempt is worth the risk. Wolkow’s main issue is his strikeout rate, which was 32.1%, an area to work on as he advances through the system.
Center fielder Ely Brown, 22, was great at getting on base and causing mayhem afterward. Brown slashed .275/.399/.372 (113 wRC+) in 113 games, all with the Dash. Brown also went 26-for-35 (74.3%) on stolen base attempts, as he showed that he has plenty of speed. While he doesn’t project to hit for much power, Brown’s high on-base skills paired with a 55-grade glove in center field make him an intriguing profile moving forward. Brown closes the season as MLB’s No. 21 White Sox prospect. In the preseason he ranked as the No. 99 White Sox prospect with SSS, an indication that we were caught sleeping on Brown, but also that he made a significant rise in 2026.
Ryan Burrowes, 22, played 88 games with the Dash before being promoted to Birmingham for his final 36 games. Burrowes, MLB’s No. 23 White Sox prospect and No. 42 before the season with SSS, excelled with Winston-Salem, slashing .261/.379/.421 (115 wRC+) and going 34-for-43 (79.1%) on stolen base attempts. Burrowes primarily plays shortstop, although he also got playing time at second base and third base this summer. In a smaller sample size, Burrowes struggled with the Barons, slashing .228/.329/.283 (74 wRC+), but he has a relatively high floor, thanks to his speed and defensive ability.
Infielder Colby Shelton, 23, is MLB’s No. 24 White Sox prospect and ranked No. 44 before the season with SSS. Although he spent most of the season with the Barons, it is important to highlight Shelton’s contributions to the Dash. Mainly a second baseman who also plays shortstop and third base, Shelton could not be stopped during his 31 games with the Dash. He slashed .339/.464/.661 (184 wRC+) in the early going to help the Dash get off to a fast start to the season. Shelton proceeded to slash .211/.289/.434 (88 wRC+) with the Barons, although he did pick up the pace down the stretch after struggling early on after the promotion.
Although the Dash had many MLB Top 30 prospects on the hitting side, they were much lighter with the arms. The only Top 30 prospect with at least 25 innings with the Dash was reliever Mathias LaCombe, 24. LaCombe was dominant during those 25 innings, posting a 2.88 ERA and a 3.54 FIP, striking out 12.60 per nine innings. LaCombe is MLB’s No. 18 White Sox prospect (No. 21 preseason with SSS), and although his ERA was 6.27 in 18 2/3 innings with Birmingham, his FIP (4.10) was much better. LaCombe actually climbed all the way up to Triple-A Charlotte by the very end of the season, an indication of the esteem the organization has for him.
Roch Cholowsky, 21, is likely someone you have heard of. Cholowsky, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, made his professional debut, but he only played nine games. In that limited sample, Cholowsky slashed .167/.326/.333 (81 wRC+). Although the overall slash line in the small sample was subpar, Cholowsky had a 15.2% walk rate and a .185 BABIP, as luck was not on his side. Plus, at some point Roch injured his wrist with the Dash, which likely impacted his production and led to him getting shut down for the season early. Nonetheless much of Cholowsky’s value stems from his defense at shortstop, where his elite glove cemented his status as the top overall pick.
Unranked right-hander Jake Curtis, 24, served as the undeniable MVP of the Winston-Salem pitching staff. Curtis is outside MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 White Sox prospects but made a large impact, and he spent the vast majority of the season with the Dash. In 80 1/3 innings with Winston-Salem, Curtis posted a 3.14 ERA and a 3.16 FIP. Control was a large part of his success, as Curtis only walked 1.37 batters per nine innings, and he only allowed 0.74 homers per nine innings. Considering the South Atlantic League average ERA hovered around 5.04 (even if skewed somewhat by Asheville’s 7.39 mark), Curtis’s production went a long way.
Although Curtis was the most valuable pitcher overall, unranked (by MLB, but held in high esteem by South Side Sox, at No. 26 overall) left-handed pitcher Grant Umberger, 24, was on fire in the postseason. In the regular season, Umberger posted modest numbers in 120 2/3 innings, all with the Dash, as he had a 4.70 ERA and a 4.88 FIP. However, Umberger was extremely valuable in the playoffs, where he had two starts, and he was magnificent in both of them. Against Bowling Green, Umberger picked up 11 strikeouts while only allowing one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings in the series clincher. Unbelievably, Umberger topped that in Game 2 against Greensboro, when he allowed three hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings. In that game, Umberger also struck out 11, as he finished the postseason with a 0.64 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and three walks. What a way to wrap things up.
