TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 30: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Julio Rodríguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners talk prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Sunday, August 30, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I know it isn’t an off-day, but I have stuff going on today, so I thought I’d put up an open thread.
As always, use it to talk about what you’d like. I’m going to do a couple of hours of pitcher fielding practice. Actually, I’m pretty sure I don’t have the ability to beat out a runner to first, while trying to catch a ball and hit the bag (inside of the bag) all at the same time. But if anyone wants to come to Calgary to try it with me. I guess we need three people. Maybe a fourth to do first aid.
After a 17 and 11 August the Jays are 7-6 in September. The really hot streak seems to be over. Thankfully the Guardians aren’t tearing things up either.
11 games left. I was going to say that I want every one of them to mean something, but I’d be ok if the Jays clinch with a couple of games left.
The Penguins got to work early on Tuesday, knocking out their third and final game of the prospect tournament in Detroit against Dallas.
Lineup for the Penguins’ final prospect tournament game in Detroit. Puck drop against Dallas at 10:30am.
Mbuyi gets a promotion to the top line. Ilyin swaps in for Sanderson on the Ruck line. Galvas becomes the only D to play 3 games. Nikonovich gets his first start in goal. pic.twitter.com/9XfKd9uIy1
Pierce Mbuyi – Bill Zonnon – Tanner Howe Mikhail Ilyin – Markus Ruck – Liam Ruck Carter Sanderson – Atley Calvert – Jordan Charron Max Graham – Brayden Edwards – Travis Hayes
Jake Livanavage / Harrison Brunicke Tomas Galvas / Chase Pietila Broten Sabo / Benett Kelly
The opposition had the following lineup with 11 forwards and seven defensemen dressed for the Stars.
Stars lines in Game 3 vs. Pittsburgh (11/7 again):
The Ruck twins got the first goal, with linemate Mikhail Ilyin featuring into the scoring play as well. As seen so many times in the Rucks’ WHL highlight videos they used a quick pass from behind the back of the net that gives the goalie almost no chance. As usual it was Markus making the play and Liam finding the perfect spot to hammer in a quick shot and put the Pens on the board in the first period. The chemistry between the two and the suddenness that they can get a little ahead of the play makes it just about automatic for the puck to end up in the net.
Penalty trouble was up next for the Pens, with them taking eight total minutes worth of penalties in the first period, including a Chase Pietila double minor. Dallas hit a post behind Matvei Ninkovich and then eventually scoring with a 5v3 advantage when former first round pick Emil Hemming scored on a one-time shot.
The score remained tied through the second period, early in the third Dallas pulled ahead with a player getting a stick to deflect a centering pass in. Ninkovich remained strong stopping a Stars shorthanded breakaway later in the third.
The Pens pull the goalie late, Dallas makes them pay with a long-range empty net goal to set the score at 3-1.
Some more passing thoughts
Loved to see Harrison Brunicke play with an edge and come to a teammate’s defense after a post-whistle hit. Passive might not be the perfect world to use but sometimes in the past Brunicke has seemed a little physically disengaged. Not so today, it’ll be interesting to see if he brings some chippiness into NHL camp.
Can’t really take any game too seriously that starts at 10:30 in the morning. For further levity, there was a whistle in the second period because an errant soccer ball went onto the ice courtesy of a team warming up for the next game after this one.
That said, the two teams were feisty. Max Graham got into two fights. Pietila also dropped the gloves and connected on some big punches.
it’s still one of a few evaluation tools to see players compete in a game setting. Tomas Galvas earned playing in all three games of the tournament – a reward for his impressive games to date. This one wasn’t really as impressive, his most notable play of the game might have been an early turnover resulting in a scoring chance against. Young players can be all over the map like that.
It was nice to see the Ruck magic happen at the pseudo-professional level. The perk of having twins is how quickly and little effort it took for Markus to know exactly where his brother was and put a perfect pass out from behind the net to him. Then it was in the net.
Was only perfectly whelmed by Jake Livanavage at this event – much like his performance at July’s development camp didn’t stand out. One would have thought his skills and strengths would be well-suited for summer hockey’s more relaxed style. Surprisingly enough, that wasn’t the case. Might be something to watch for in camp for any dark horse hopes he might have to make a run for a spot with the NHL team.
Have liked the development of Ilyin in the last 12 months. He’s had another successful KHL season then jumped over to the AHL where he was pretty darn good for a first look of North American playoff action (nine points in 15 games that ranked tied for second among WBS playoff scorers). Last year I remember I called him ‘a stranger in a strange land’ for how he kept mostly to the perimeter and periphery of much of the action as he got acclimated. This time around Ilyin was right in the middle of it. He stole a puck, made a nice pass and drove to the net in the third, denied a goal only by a really nice save made on him.
For being 18-years old and fresh to seeing all these players and this style, you could see why the Pens liked Nikonovich enough to draft him this year. He played an athletic style and gets himself in front of pucks, not having much of a chance on the only two goals he surrendered and playing well to stop a few tough ones. He’ll be headed to the OHL and will be a young prospect to watch.
That wraps it up for the Pens in Detroit, the young players now head back to Pittsburgh for the start of full NHL training camp on Thursday.
Alberts Šmits will have a chance to make the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp, but it certainly won’t be easy.
One left-handed defenseman role is up for grabs going into training camp this week, with Matthew Robertson holding the edge over Šmits and Urho Vaakanainen.
During rookie camp, Šmits was asked about what he thinks his chances are of making the opening-night roster.
“I’m just going one day at a time,” Šmits said in response.
Given the shortened training camp, it will likely be hard for Šmits to work his way up the depth chart and surpass Robertson, who earned a full-time role with the Rangers last season.
Chris Drury already made clear that the Rangers are going to be patient regarding Šmits’ development, which likely means they aren’t in a rush to bring him up to the NHL if he isn’t prepared for it.
“We're gonna do right by him and the long-term health and well-being of him as a Ranger,” Drury said of Šmits. “This is not a sprint for him. We hope he's a rock-solid defenseman for the Rangers for the next 15 years. We're not going to put him in positions or situations that he can't handle. So excited to add him, but again, not going to do anything that's not in the best interest long-term for him.”
The 18-year-old defenseman was highly touted as one of the more pro-ready players in the 2026 draft class, leading him to be selected with the fifth overall pick by the Rangers.
Even if Šmits doesn't make the Rangers’ roster out of training camp, he’ll begin the 2026-27 season playing in the American Hockey league for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
CINCINNATI — Freddie Freeman wasn’t in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup the game against the Cincinnati Reds as he deals with right knee soreness.
Even though the first baseman hasn’t been in the lineup for three of the last five games, manager Dave Roberts said putting Freeman on the 10-day injured list to get him ready for the postseason — which would be similar to what they did with Shohei Ohtani — isn’t an option at this point.
“I don’t think (the rest) needs to be 10 days, but could it be more than one? That’s a fair question,” Roberts said. “I’ve got to kind of talk to the training staff, Freddie, and ultimately make that decision. But I don’t think IL makes sense.”
Roberts said he didn’t think Freeman would have nagging problems with the knee during the postseason if the knee can be managed properly. Freeman is batting .293 but is 3 for his last 30 with nine strikeouts.
Their bigger concern is making sure they clinch one of the top two seeds and a first-round bye.
The Dodgers have a 3 1/2-game lead over Atlanta for the second seed. Milwaukee (93-57) has the NL’s top mark.
“Given where our guys are health wise, to get that week would be huge. We’ve still got to play well to finish out the season to get to that point,” Roberts said.
Ohtani, who has been on the 15-day IL since Sept. 8 due to right biceps inflammation, is to hit off a tee in Los Angeles. It will be his first swings since going on the IL. Roberts said Ohtani has been lifting, working out and getting treatment the past couple days.
With Ohtani not on the seven-game trip, there has definitely been a different vibe around the clubhouse.
“It feels different because he’s such a presence when he’s on the field,” Roberts said. “The last series wasn’t indicative, but I think that we’re playing good baseball for the most part. We know we’re better with Shohei. Probably the fans are disappointed, but I don’t think we really felt it.”
The bigger concern might be with reliever Edwin Díaz, who has allowed six earned runs over 3 1/3 innings in four rehab outings with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Díaz not only is dealing with neck inflammation, but also control issues. Díaz signed a three-year, $59 million contract during the offseason and has struggled in his first year in Los Angeles.
The right-hander will have another outing, but Roberts did leave open the possibility that Díaz could be left off postseason rosters.
“He needs to pitch better. It hasn’t been good,” Roberts said. “The baseball card looks great. But it’s like, where we’re at, there’s got to be something for us to be able to hang our hat on. And he knows that. He wants to pitch well.”
Aug 9, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Joe Boyle (36) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Rays acquired Joe Boyle, the towering, hard-throwing reliever, from the Athletics as part of the trade for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez. Since then he’s pitched just over 70 innings for the Rays, spending most of his time in Durham.
This year Joe Boyle has made meaningful strides in his command while retaining the stuff that made him an intriguing pitching prospect. In limited major-league opportunities, his topline numbers haven’t been great but there’s no question has major league stuff and the upside that goes with it. Boyle has developed enough command to support an increasingly sophisticated arsenal, and his ability to adjust that arsenal on the fly is what makes his starter projection particularly interesting.
Before joining the Rays, Boyle posted a 15.7% walk rate in the majors and an 18.9% walk rate in the minors. Since joining the organization, those numbers have fallen to 12.1% and 14.4%, respectively. This is meaningful growth driven by some mechanical adjustments, usage rates, and shape changes.
Boyle has gone from a high three-quarter slot delivery through 2024 to a low three-quarter slot delivery in 2025 and 2026. The lower slot seems to suit him better, giving him a more repeatable delivery and helping him find the zone more consistently.
The adjustment appears to have given Boyle a more consistent foundation from which to repeat his delivery and attack the strike zone. His zone rate has gone from 44.2% in AAA in 2024 to 46.9% in AAA so far in 2026 – despite shifting toward a more secondary-heavy mix, with his non-fastballs historically less likely to land in the zone. And because he has the quality stuff to stick in a rotation, the next step was to revamp his arsenal to attack both sides of the plate.
Here are Boyle’s Triple-A usage rates to righties and lefties in each of the last three seasons:
Boyle is now throwing a wider variety of shapes – most of them relatively new given his change in slot – and he’s still filling up the zone at a higher rate than ever before. He has more advanced feel and pitchability than he gets credit for. Boyle’s command gains coupled with an expanded arsenal are more exciting than either development would be on its own.
Some interesting things have happened with Boyle’s usage and cut-slider shape during the 2026 season so far that give even more reason to be excited. The changes become even more interesting when we look at how he’s using each pitch against right- and left-handed hitters.
Apr-Jul vs RHB
Aug-Sep vs RHB
Apr-Jul vs LHB
Aug-Sep vs LHB
Four-Seam
42.3%
30.3%
47.3%
34.3%
Cut-Slider
33.7%
33.1%
33.4%
38.2%
Offspeed
1.5%
2.0%
15.0%
13.7%
Two-Seam
12.4%
17.5%
0.5%
6.4%
Breaking Ball
10.1%
17.1%
3.7%
7.3%
The biggest thing that stands out to me is that Boyle’s fastball usage has fallen below 50% against both sides of the plate for the first time in his professional career. His cut-slider is now his highest usage pitch and for good reason: it’s the pitch he commands best. I wondered what it would look like if he pitched off of his cut-slider back in January because he has the best location consistency of that pitch.
Boyle’s cut-slider has gradually evolved since he joined the Rays. Before joining the organization, the pitch looked more like a traditional two-plane slider, with velocity in the mid-to-upper 80s. By April of 2025, it had developed a tighter, gyro shape. Since his August major-league call-up this season, Boyle has pushed the pitch even further toward a harder, cutter-like offering. It now sits in the low 90s and, for the first time, is more vertically oriented. The pitch’s zone rate has increased from 52.5% to 60.6% with the new shape, while maintaining a whiff rate in the 35-40% range. That suggests Boyle has improved his ability to locate the pitch without sacrificing its bat-missing ability.
Since returning to Durham with this new cut-slider shape, Boyle has cut his walk rate to 7.3% across 19.1 innings in four appearances. His strike rate has also climbed from 57.7% to 64.1%, moving from below average to roughly league average. While the sample is small, the trends are encouraging – Boyle is throwing more strikes.
The growth we’ve seen from Boyle makes me more confident he can stick as a major-league starter, and potentially more than just a back-end option. The stuff has always been there; now his command is becoming good enough to let that arsenal play consistently. The most exciting developments this season have been his ability to improve his zone rate while increasing his secondary usage and his ability to manipulate his cut-slider shape in-season.
The Rays could always simplify Boyle’s arsenal in relief, where his fastball and cut-slider combination would give him a relatively straightforward path to success. But the organization’s continued investment in his expanded arsenal suggests they see more than a relief role in him. His improved command and ability to manipulate pitch shapes are precisely what give him a chance to remain in a rotation. Whether that opportunity comes down the stretch in 2026 or beyond, Boyle has developed into a legitimate candidate for a major-league rotation spot.
The 2026 Major League Baseball season has less than two weeks to go, and most of league's major awards have runaway favorites – with new faces expected to win the MVP and Cy Young honors in each league.
Both expected Cy Young winners are in their second MLB seasons: Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees and Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers. Each right-hander sports an ERA below 2.00 entering Tuesday and have fans amped about the next generation of aces in MLB.
Triple Crown incoming? The 29-year-old has proven himself as one of the greatest sluggers of the era and should win this award easily, having already set a career-high with 38 home runs. He's the runaway favorite, but Houston getting back into the postseason would even further ice this for Alvarez.
Also in the running: Junior Caminero (Rays), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
NL MVP: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs
With Shohei Ohtani injured this summer, PCA has locked this up as he closes in on the seventh 40-40 season in MLB history. The 24-year-old is putting together one of the greatest years ever, with a 9.3 fWAR while leading the National League in slugging and OPS.
Also in the running: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)
AL Cy Young: Cam Schlittler, Yankees
We knew Cam Schlittler was good after his impact as a rookie in 2025, but nobody could have fathomed the 25-year-old would be this good in his sophomore season. The right-hander is having one of the greatest pitching seasons could be the first Yankees pitcher with a sub-2 ERA since Ron Guidry in 1978. Even more impressive is his leading the AL in innings (184.2) and starts (31).
Also in the running: Dylan Cease (Blue Jays)
NL Cy Young: Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers
A controversial All-Star selection as a rookie last season, The Miz has been by far the NL's best pitcher at age 24, leading the league in ERA (1.95), strikeouts (236) and WHIP (0.80).
Also in the running: Chris Sale (Braves)
AL Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle, Tigers
Things didn't go as planned for Tarik Skubal's final season in Detroit, but McGonigle's breakthrough is the major positive to take away from this year. The Tigers signed McGonigle to an eight-year, $150 million extension and the infielder who was 21 on opening day is currently approaching 7 WAR on the season.
Also in the running: Parker Messick (Guardians), Munetaka Murakami (White Sox)
NL Rookie of the Year: Sal Stewart, Reds
Stewart has been invaluable for the Reds, primarily playing the corner infield positions while also seeing time at second base, racking up 31 home runs with 107 RBIs and 15 steals.
Also in the running: JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals), Nolan McLean (Mets)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Austin Reaves #15 playfully blocks the shot of Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers before an NBA game against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena on March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin Terrell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Saturday, Fred Katz and John Hollinger of The Athletic broke the news that the NBA recently increased its projections for the 2027-28 salary cap by $2 million. Initial projections had the cap landing at $174 million, but the latest projections are a $176 million salary cap and a $213 million luxury-tax line.
Katz and Hollinger explained why that could provide some much-needed financial relief to teams around the league:
“The latest national TV contract was supposed to usher in an era of 10 percent annual salary-cap increases, more than enough to cover the 8 percent raises in contracts given to most star players. Instead, the local TV market crashed so hard that the annual raise was barely half that a year ago (5.2 percent) and was forecast to be similar in 2027-28 (5.5 percent). The projected raise for 2027-28 is now 6.7 percent — still a far cry from the maximal 10 percent, but closer to the raises in player contracts.”
That’s particularly welcome news for the Lakers given their free-agent spending spree this past offseason.
Since Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton all changed teams this summer, they were limited to 5% annual raises in their contracts rather than 8%. That means the projected cap growth in 2027-28 is now expected to (slightly) outpace their annual raises.
While Grimes and Kessler each have standard 5% annual raises in their contracts, Mamu’s deal was uniquely structured. He’s earning $13 million this year, goes down to $12.35 million in 2027-28, goes back up to $13.0 million in 2028-29 and has a $13.65 million player option in 2029-30.
Austin Reaves also did the Lakers a solid by taking $5 million less than what was initially reported. He could have received full 8% annual raises every year, but instead, he took only a roughly 4% raise in 2027-28, which also slightly reduced the amount he could receive in the final two years of his contract.
That all begs the question of what the Lakers might have up their sleeves next offseason.
In all likelihood, they’re eyeing access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception. They’re now projected to have an additional $2 million in financial wiggle room because of this higher cap projection.
The final piece of the puzzle?
All salary-cap exceptions increase at the same rate as the salary cap itself. So, if the cap goes up by roughly 6.7%, the non-taxpayer MLE will go up by that same amount. Based on the new $176 million projection for the 2027-28 salary cap, the non-taxpayer MLE would be roughly $16.05 million next year, which is a slight increase over the previous $15.869 million projection. The taxpayer MLE would be nearly $6.5 million instead of $6.4 million.
Any team that uses the non-taxpayer MLE gets hard-capped at the first apron, which would also rise by roughly $2 million based on the latest projections. It should now land in the neighborhood of $222 million, while the second apron should be around $236 million.
Between Reaves, Kessler, Grimes, Mamu, Luka Dončić and Cameron Carr, the Lakers already have $158.5 million in guaranteed salary on their books for 2027-28. It feels relatively safe to assume that Jarred Vanderbilt will be picking up his $13.3 million player option, while Sexton could go either way on his $9.8 million player option.
If Vanderbilt and Sexton both pick up their player options, the Lakers would be up to $181.6 million in salary. They also have team options on Jaden Hardy ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht ($6.45 million), Bronny James ($2.5 million) and Adou Thiero ($2.5 million). The Lakers must decide on Knecht’s option by Oct. 31, but they have until June 29, 2027, to decide on the other three.
If the Lakers picked up all of those options, they’d be up to $199.1 million in salary with 12 players under contract. That would leave them roughly $22.9 million under the first apron, which would give them enough room to spend the full $16.05 million non-taxpayer MLE and round out their roster with a pair of minimum contracts.
The Lakers owe their 2027 first-round pick to Memphis if it falls outside of the top four and owe their 2027 second-round pick to either Memphis or Brooklyn, so they likely won’t have to budget for 2027-28 with those picks in mind.
Either way, the Lakers have enough financial flexibility on the fringes of their roster — at least for now — to give themselves a real shot at having access to the full non-taxpayer MLE next summer. They could look to spend it all on one player, or they could divide it between two or more players, much like the Philadelphia 76ers did with Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons this past offseason.
The Lakers have almost a full calendar year to plan ahead for that. In the meantime, don’t be surprised if they’re wary about taking on additional long-term salary this year, particularly if it cuts into their ability to maintain access to the non-taxpayer MLE next summer.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves warms up during the third inning of a Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
It’s that time of year again, folks. Sure, the Postseason is right around the corner and that’s exciting all but it’s also a fun time for keeping track of prospects as well. The Arizona Fall League will get underway on October 3 and there will be plenty of representation of the Atlanta Braves’ farm system on the Glendale Desert Dogs, as the Braves will have eight representatives on the squad.
The 2026 Arizona Fall League rosters have been unveiled and they feature a dozen of MLB's Top 100 prospects!
We already knew that Tate Southisene would be participating but ow we know who’ll be joining him in wearing Braves uniforms out in Arizona this fall. Tanner Bauman, Owen Carey, Isaiah Drake, Owen Hackman, Tyler LaPorte, Briggs McKenzie and Logan Samuels will all be heading out to the desert to take part in the AFL this Fall. Carey, Drake, McKenzie, and Southisene are the consensus Top 30 Braves prospects who will be going there, with Southesine being able to claim that he’s a Top 100 prospect while he’s out there.
For more information on how things have gone for these prospects (and more) so far this season, Matt Powers has been doing season recaps for all of the minor league teams, so I highly suggest that y’all check those out. Here’s Augusta,Rome, and Columbus and you can be on the look out for Gwinett’s season recap next week.
MLB announced the rosters for the 2026 Arizona Fall League on Tuesday, featuring 12 players in MLB.com's top 100 prospects, ahead of the minor league showcase's opening day on Saturday, Oct. 3.
The AFL has six teams – with each representing five MLB organizations – that play 30 games during the course of a month in Arizona. Every MLB team has at least seven players participating in this year's AFL, according to the league.
The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14 in Peoria at the spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. All six teams reach the "postseason" with the top two getting a bye to the semifinals. The AFL Fall Stars Game will take place on Nov. 8 with the league's Home Run Derby that day.
Past MVPs of the Arizona Fall League include Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017), Kris Bryant (2013) and Nolan Arenado (2011). Last year's winner, Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers, is expected to win the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2026.
Here's a look at every team's roster for the 2026 AFL:
1899: Heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries defeated Tom Sharkey by decision after 25 punishing rounds at Coney Island, New York, in one of the era’s most celebrated title fights.
1962: Wilt Chamberlain scored 72 points for the San Francisco Warriors in a 127-115 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, producing the fourth-highest single-game total in NBA history at the time.
1968: Graham Hill won the season-ending Mexican Grand Prix and clinched his second Formula 1 world championship.
1974: Boston Bruins forward Johnny Bucyk collected two assists in a 10-1 victory over Minnesota and passed Bobby Hull as the highest-scoring left wing in NHL history.
1982: Randy Smith appeared in his 845th consecutive NBA game, surpassing Johnny “Red” Kerr’s league record; Smith ultimately extended the streak to 906 games.
1987: New York Rangers center Marcel Dionne became the second NHL player to reach 1,700 career points when he scored in a 5-3 loss to Calgary.
1989: Šarūnas Marčiulionis and Alexander Volkov became the first players from the Soviet Union to appear in NBA regular-season games.
1989: The expansion Minnesota Timberwolves played their first NBA game, losing 106-94 to the Seattle SuperSonics.
1995: The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies won their inaugural games, marking the regular-season debuts of the NBA’s first Canadian franchises since the Toronto Huskies folded in 1947.
1995: Kevin Garnett made his NBA debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a loss to Sacramento, beginning a Hall of Fame career.
1996: Kobe Bryant made his NBA debut at age 18, playing six minutes in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 91-85 victory over Minnesota.
2007: Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour returned from retirement for one game and recorded his 1,500th appearance behind the New York Islanders’ bench as they rallied past Pittsburgh 3-2.
2008: The Detroit Pistons traded Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson in a blockbuster exchange of All-Star guards.
2010: Paul Pierce scored his 20,000th career point on a late-overtime free throw and helped the Boston Celtics defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 105-102.
2011: Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne signed a seven-year, $49 million contract extension on his 29th birthday, then made 35 saves in a 3-0 shutout of Phoenix.
2018: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 34 saves in a 3-0 victory over Carolina and became the 29th goalie in NHL history to record 50 career shutouts.
2023: The NBA began group play in its inaugural In-Season Tournament, later renamed the NBA Cup, with seven games and specially designed tournament courts.
— USA TODAY Network
This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
NHL superstar Alex Ovechkin is facing renewed backlash for his support of Vladimir Putin after appearing in a political campaign ad for the United Russia Party that supports the Russian President ahead of the start to the 2026-27 season.
MultipleRussian news outlets have published images and video of the commercial showing Ovechkin standing behind Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, a prominent figure in Putin's Kremlin and the leading parliamentary candidate for the United Russia Party. Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of state-controlled broadcaster RT, as well as former NHL player Viacheslav Fetisov, actor Vladimir Mashkov and singer Tatyana Kurtukova, were also identified among the celebrities with Lavrov in reports.
The Washington Capitals said on Tuesday, Sept. 15, Ovechkin was asked “by his country to participate in a video campaign” while still in Russia this summer.
“Alex Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason and will live there following his retirement. This summer, while in Russia, he was asked by his country to participate in a video campaign,” Capitals spokesperson Sergey Kocharov said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports. “As the longest-tenured athlete in Washington, D.C. and a pillar of the community, his focus and ours is on the season ahead and the continued impact he makes on the ice and in our city.”
Ovechkin's presence in the ad has drawn widespread criticism on social media, including from one of the NHL's greatest goaltenders and one of the Washington Capitals' most famous fans.
Six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek, born in Czechia, quickly blasted Ovechkin's decision to appear in the political campaign ad supporting Lavrov and the United Russia Party.
"Everyone in this photograph has chosen to officially support Russia's imperialist war in Ukraine. Among them are also hockey player Ovechkin and former hockey player and national team captain Fetisov. Because of each of them, many Ukrainians and Russians will be killed," Hasek wrote.
Everyone in this photograph has chosen to officially support Russia's imperialist war in Ukraine. Among them are also hockey player Ovechkin and former hockey player and national team captain Fetisov. Because of each of them, many Ukrainians and Russians will be killed. pic.twitter.com/vyzjTv6wsj
D.C. celebrity restauranteur and Capitals fan Jose Andres also condemned Ovechkin's participation in the ad in a social media post, calling it a "sad day for my beloved DC team!!"
Russia is killing Americans in the Middle East with drones that help Iran! @Capitals@NHL@ovi8 and what Russians are doing in Ukraine is wrong…..killing civilians everyday….sad day for my beloved DC team!!😞😞😞 https://t.co/GiaC2SgjL2
Ovechkin, hockey's all-time leading goal scorer, has been a longtime supporter of Putin despite it generating controversy in the United States, particularly once Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Ovechkin started a social movement in 2017 supporting Putin ahead of the upcoming Russian presidential election, and a picture of the two of them was on the winger's Instagram account.
Ovechkin told reporters, when asked about the war between Russia and Ukraine, "I hope soon it's going to be over and there's going to be peace in the whole world." But he continued to back Putin publicly.
"He’s my president but … I’m not in politics," Ovechkin said in 2022. "I’m an athlete and how I said, I hope everything is going to be done soon. It’s a hard situation right now for both sides. … I'm not in control of the situation."
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Lavrov in 2022 and named him as one of "the architects of Russia's war against Ukraine." He has served as Russia's foreign minister since 2004 and was previously Russia's ambassador to the United Nations.
Putin's United Russia party has released a new election campaign video featuring record breaking NHL superstar Alexander Ovechkin alongside FM Sergey Lavrov, and other prominent Russians ahead of this week’s State Duma elections. pic.twitter.com/BIhZlFAKDN
Ovechkin, who will turn 41 this week, signed a one-year contract in July to return to the Capitals. He will earn $1 million in salary, a $4.75 million games-played bonus (10 games) and a $3.25 million signing bonus. Ovechkin’s contract will carry an average annual value of $4.25 million. He returned to the United States recently and made an appearance at the Capitals' practice facility on Monday, Sept. 15.
Ovechkin finished with 32 goals last season and will join Sidney Crosby, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Stan Mikita and Steve Yzerman as the only players in NHL history to play 22 seasons with one franchise.
WICHITA, KS - AUGUST 16: Jason Schiavone #44 of the Corpus Christi Hooks rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Wichita Wind Surge at Equity Bank Park on Sunday, August 16, 2026 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Lathe Cobb/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Houston Astros player development department has named C Jason Schiavone the Astros 2026 Minor League Player of the Year, RHP Bryce Mayer the Astros 2026 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, OF Anthony Huezo the Astros 2026 Minor League Baserunner of the Year, IF Max Holy the Astros 2026 Minor League Defender of the Year and IF Yamal Encarnacion the Astros 2026 Standard Award recipient. All five players will be recognized in a pregame ceremony at Daikin Park on Sunday, September 20.
Schiavone, 23, has batted .246 (104×422) with 84 runs, 23 doubles, 31 HR, 87 RBI, 90 walks, 29 stolen bases and a .907 OPS in 118 games between High A Asheville (35 games), Double A Corpus Christi (79 games) and Triple A Sugar Land (four games). He leads the Astros minor league system in OPS, slugging percentage (.521), RBI and home runs, while also ranking second in runs, fifth in OBP (.386), fifth in doubles, fifth in walks and eighth in stolen bases (min. 200 AB). Schiavone was also named the Astros Minor League Player of the Month in April and May. The Astros selected the catcher in the 11th round of the 2024 MLB Draft from James Madison. The 23-year-old is rated as the Astros number six overall prospect by MLB.com.
Mayer, 24, has gone 6-4 with a 3.21 ERA (35ER/98IP) in 23 appearances, including 20 starts between Double A Corpus Christi and Triple A Sugar Land. The right-handed pitcher also recorded 132 strikeouts, a 1.19 WHIP and a .202 opponent batting average. Mayer ranks first strikeouts per nine innings (12.12), first in ERA, first in opponent batting average, second in WHIP and seventh in walks per nine innings (4.32) in the Astros minor league system (min 90 IP). Mayer has now earned the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year in consecutive seasons. He was also the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Month in July after he recorded a 0.47 ERA (1ER/19IP) with 29 strikeouts for the month. The 24-year-old was drafted by the Astros in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft from the University of Missouri. He is rated as the Astros number eight overall prospect by MLB.com.
Huezo, 20, batted .242 (105×433) with 79 runs, 31 doubles, four triples, 22 HR, 73 RBI, 58 walks, 47 stolen bases and an .825 OPS in 112 games between Single A Fayetteville, High A Asheville and Double A Corpus Christi. The 20-year-old stole 47 bases and was caught only 12 times for a 79.7 percent success rate. He ranks third in the Astros minor league system in stolen bases this season. Huezo was drafted by the Astros in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft from Etiwanda High School in California. The 20-year-old is rated as the Astros number 10 overall prospect by MLB.com.
Holy, 24, appeared in 110 games this season between High A Asheville and Double A Corpus Christi, making starts defensively at shortstop (100), second base (five) and third base (five). He committed just 10 errors in 391 total chances for a .974 fielding percentage, while turning 42 double plays. Holy was signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent on July 20, 2024, from Central Missouri University. He is rated as the Astros number 29 overall prospect by MLB.com.
The Astros Standard award, which was established this season, highlights a player who represents the core values of the organization in a positive way both on and off the field. Encarnacion, 23, spent the entire season with Double A Corpus Christi, batting .266 (93×349) with 61 runs, 18 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 48 RBI, 37 walks, 48 stolen bases and a .720 OPS in 95 games. The 23-year-old was signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent on January 15, 2021, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
In the immediate aftermath of his team’s 2025-26 season ending, Lakers coach JJ Redick clearly and plainly laid out one of the biggest points of emphasis for 2026-27.
“We clearly need to have a better overall season defensively,” Redick said in May.
Walker Kessler is a core reason why the Lakers should have a better defense in 2026-27. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
“We had flashes of that,” Redick added. “I have said this numerous times: Our improvement defensively is a big credit to our staff, [assistant coaches] Bob [Beyer] and Greg [St. Jean], and the work they did in film and in walk-throughs. But we gotta do better defensively.”
And after their offseason roster reconstruction, the Lakers will be better defensively in 2026-27 than they were last season despite external narratives that state the contrary.
The heart of their improved defense will come from the marquee addition of Walker Kessler, who already showed in his first four seasons in the NBA with the Jazz that he’s one of the league’s premier rim protectors.
It’s universally accepted throughout the NBA that the Lakers should be a better rim protecting team (they finished second-to-last in defensive field goal percentage at the rim in 2025-26) with Kessler starting at center instead of Deandre Ayton.
But it’s been their perimeter defense that has been questioned.
Quentin Grimes, defending his now teammate Luka Doncic, will be key for the Lakers’ improved perimeter defense. Getty Images
Despite losing Marcus Smart, who was the team’s best defender last season, the Lakers actually improved their point-of-attack defense significantly.
Smart may be a better perimeter defender than anyone currently on the Lakers, but the issue with last season’s team was the lack of strong perimeter defenders behind him.
That won’t be an issue in 2026-27.
Not only did the Lakers keep their second- and third-best perimeter defenders from last season’s team in Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia, but Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams are all upgrades over most of the team’s perimeter defense options in 2025-26.
Ziaire Williams, defending now teammate Luka Doncic, adds to the Lakers’ perimeter defensive depth. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
They may not have the All-Defensive team caliber perimeter defender, but Redick will have more options at his disposal to build a credible defense in front of Kessler and around star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers not only should have be at least an average defensive team, but they have the potential to be above average on that end of the floor for the first time in a few years.
Possession battle
A significant reason why the Lakers should be a better defensive team next season won’t just be because they’re better equipped to contain ball handlers.
Or even funnel plays to Kessler for him to shut down.
It’ll also come from their improved ability to generate turnovers after being average in that area last season.
New Lakers wing Matisse Thybulle generates turnovers at a high rate. Getty Images
Williams and Thybulle will be especially helpful in this area.
Thybulle’s 2 steals per game last season was tied for the second-most in the league with Hawks wing Dyson Daniels and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson among players who appeared in at least 20 regular season games despite averaging just 16 minutes.
He led the league in steals (4.5) and deflections (8.7) per 36 minutes in 2025–26 among players who appeared in at least 20 games.
Williams led the Nets in deflections per 36 minutes in 2024-25 (3.9) and 2025-26 (4.9), and averaged a career-high 1.4 steals last season.
And with Kessler on the backline, the Lakers will be able to afford to be more aggressive with their perimeter defenders compared to last season.
The offensive rebounding from Kessler and Kevon Looney will also help generate more possessions for the Lakers.
Kevon Looney, who the Lakers signed in July, will add to the team’s offensive rebounding. Getty Images
Driving
Another one of Redick’s desired areas of improvement was the collective ability to drive, dribble and pass.
With Doncic and Reaves still on the team, the Lakers are already starting from a great place.
But the additions of Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili will uplift the collective’s abilities to excel in these areas.
Losing LeBron James will hurt in these areas.
As should development from LaRavia and additions of Cameron Carr.
Explosive guard Collin Sexton fits into the Lakers desires to add more dribbling, passing and shooting to the roster. Getty Images
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 2: Manager Warren Schaeffer #4 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after a 6-5 win against the Baltimore Orioles at Coors Field on September 2, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in early September, we asked Purple Rowers to tell us the stories they wanted to read, and we got some great suggestions. Among those questions was this one from DaveN5280:
While this probably falls into the “playing time distribution” category, I’m pretty sure a lot of us here on PR want to know where all those lineup construction and late-inning PH decisions are coming from. Is it just old-school “lefty-righty” kinda stuff from Schaef and the bench coach or hitting coach? Or is it coming from real data provided by the analytics dept and/or GM—level direction to always “optimize the situation?” And is there any awareness of how these decisions in the 6th/7th innings affect the game situation in the 8th/9th?
Or maybe that’s a deeper dive that should be covered in an off-season story 🤷♂️
I don’t know how many people know this, but Colorado Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer is a chess enthusiast — he loves strategy. (In fact, Schaeffer and CJ Cron used to play regularly.) I share this because I was thinking about his chess background while listening to his rationale for the line ups he constructs.
When I asked this question, on Saturday, September 5, the Rockies had lost to the St. Louis Cardinals the night before. With that game over, Schaeffer was looking to the evening’s game against LHP Matthew Liberatore.
I have decided largely to run this as a transcript — I want you to have a sense of Schaeffer’s thinking — but I have corrected players’ nicknames for clarity’s sake and done some light editing.
Here’s my question: What’s your approach whenever you’re setting up a lineup?
This is Schaeffer’s answer:
It’s multifaceted.
There’s a lot of work and time that gets put into it.
Jake (McCarthy’s) going to lead off. Period. That hasn’t moved. That hasn’t changed in a very long time because he sets the tone. He’s been good against lefties. He doesn’t punch out. When you flip the order over, he can offer thump. He can drive runs in, which you’ve shown that he does.
Then after that, so let’s see here.
Today we’re facing a left-handed pitcher, so that third time through, the left-handed pitcher coming through, which is tough on a pitcher. We all know that. If you match him up with guys that are more likely to do damage against him, which today it’s Connor Norby right-handed, it’s Hunter Goodman right-handed, TJ Rumfield in the four hole, he’s left-handed.
It makes it difficult when you go left, right, right, left for them to match up later in the game.
A lot of the stuff that is constructed, especially in the lower part of the lineup, because Goodman’s going to hit three most days, Rumfield’s going to hit four most days, McCarthy’s going to lead-off most days, Moniak’s going to hit second against a right-handed pitcher, especially at home, because that’s where he does all his damage, and you want him up that third time through against the right-handed pitcher.
The bottom of the lineup is constructed a lot of the time for later-game matchups.
Today, Rumfield’s in the four, Cole Carrigg’s in the five, switch hitter. Jordan Beck is in the six.
So you’ve got right, right, left with Troy Johnston.
Right, right, Adael Amador, Ezequiel Tovar.
This is just being totally open with you.
I had it earlier, where at first I had Amador, Johnston, Tovar, and then I flipped it because I thought it was too easy of a for them to match up with their left-handers in the pen with Johnston hitting there.
So you could go left-hander at Troy, who I’m probably not going to hit for Tovar in the nine, and then left-hander at McCarthy, who I’m not going to hit for, and they get the matchup that they want in that spot. So you try to avoid that as much as you can.
That’s why a lot of our times our our I would say five-through-nine looks different on a daily basis. It’s later game matchups that you’re thinking about.
It’s knowing what the other club does as well and who’s available in their bullpen.
Sometimes you’re wrong. Like last night, I didn’t think that O’Brien was going to come in in the ninth inning. He had thrown back to back against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Long night flight, and he went three in a row for the first time in his career. Good for him, and he was he was nails. But that was something that was different. I wasn’t prepared for it.
Now I wouldn’t have done anything different, but that just it’s a testament to you can plan and plan and plan, and then sometimes it just the game throws itself at you.
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding asked this question: How much of it is information that’s given to you, looking at usage and everything else for the other bullpen. How much of it is gut?
Here’s what Schaeffer said.
When I construct the lineup, both (information and intuition) are in play. You know, for me, it’s hard.
Maybe even if Goodman’s struggling, it’s hard for me to take him out of the three-four hole because he’s a force to be reckoned with at any moment.
You’ll see Moniak not quite as much in the two-hole on the road against right-handed pitching because he’s typically better at home. These are just things that exist. I don’t know. It’s both (information and intuition). I’m having a tough time thinking of like gut stuff that overrides matchup stuff.
Everybody knows who hits and who doesn’t hit.
And you want your guys, typically your better hitters, one through five. That’s it basically.
And I think maybe some people could want to say, “Move McCarthy out of a leadoff spot against left-handed pitching because that spot’s coming around, and you want the right-hander at the top,” but not me. That’s more gut. That’s more gut because there is something to leaving a guy like that in a spot that he’s comfortable with, and he doesn’t even think about it, and he knows he’s earned it, and he does a really good job at it, so it’s good to have that spot covered.
I love talking about lineup construction.
I’ve evolved in my in my thought process on lineups, as well, especially with when you get to the big leagues and the late-game matchups are so important to get, and especially with the way our team is built. We need the best matchups, and we’ve been doing it all year.
And our offense has been really good all year, just in general, compared to the league. And a lot of that is late-game matchups.
You prepare also for where you’re going to pinch hit, and you know who you’re going to pinch hit, and when and where. And the lineup is constructed based on that as well at certain points.
It’s definitely been good because when I was in the minor leagues and old school thought. . . . But old school, people used to say, some teams can be constructed like that, where one through nine, they know. Like the Dodgers, they know one through nine what the order they’re going to be in every night, pretty much, for the most part over the past five years.
And there’s something to that. There’s something to a guy knowing, “I’m going to hit third and play first base every day.”
We’re not built like that. Our team is not built like that. We need matchups.
The Rockies won that game, 10-7. Here’s the box score, so you can judge for yourself how Schaeffer’s line-up strategy went.
Closing thoughts
Obviously, line-up construction doesn’t win a baseball game. Rather, it’s a strategy for maximizing talent.
And as Skyler Timmins showed recently, the Rockies hitting problems are not due to platooning; rather, they are the result of not having enough effective right-handed hitters. As Skyler wrote: “With Goodman and Karros on the Injured List, Freeman in Triple-A, and the other options not exactly thriving on either side of the platoon, it’s showing cracks in the offense. More than ever, the Rockies need better right-handed hitters.”
It’s also easy to see the value of switch hitters given how the Rockies are constructed. Switch hitters give Warren Schaeffer another tool in his strategy arsenal. When Willi Castro is healthy, the Rockies have three of them (and I wondered throughout the Cardinals series if his bat would have made a difference). I expect the Rockies to give Amador serious innings throughout September. If he can hit, they will have found their second base man and solidified another switch hitter in their arsenal.
That’s what I learned. Let us know what you think in the comments!
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 30: Atlanta Braves pitcher Joe Jimenez sits on the dugout steps prior to the MLB game between the Colorado Rockies and the Atlanta Braves on August 30, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Late last night, the news got out that Reynaldo López would be heading back to the IL with shoulder inflammation and that JR RItchie would be coming up as a result. Ritchie will reportedly be making the start on Wednesday, so none of these moves were particularly surprising when the Braves announced it.
However, Atlanta ticked on an encouraging rehab assignment for a relieve that we haven’t seen for a very long time.
The #Braves today recalled RHP JR Ritchie to Atlanta and placed RHP Reynaldo López on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Additionally, RHPJoe Jiménez tonight begins a rehabilitation assignment with the Gwinnett Stripers.
Well, would you look at that! Joe Jiménez is beginning a rehab assignment. I’d imagine that a lot of folks probably expected to see Robert Suarez’s name here considering that he’s been the one that we’ve seen most recently on a big league mound for the Braves.
With that being said, Jiménez had been throwing live BP recently and and there had been indications that he was doing that just to finally get back on the mound before the 2027 season. That honestly might still be the case as far as this rehab assignment goes, as it would be asking a ton of Jiménez to return at this juncture of the season with a Postseason run on the horizon.
Still, it’s good to see that Jiménez appears poised to make a return to the Braves — whether it’s this season or next. It’s been a long, long road to recovery for Jiménez and hopefully there are no more setbacks for the veteran reliever.
