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We’re exactly one week away from the season opener where LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the Sixers will be at Madison Square Garden for the ring ceremony and banner raising of the defending champion New York Knicks. Next will be the home opener a couple nights later against James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If Nick Nurse is true to his word, expect to see the Sixers’ full starting lineup again Friday in what will amount to a dress rehearsal. All of James, Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe should suit up and likely play into the second half. Nurse sounded hopeful Tuesday at practice that Anfernee Simons (hamstring) and Adem Bona (foot) could be available for a tune up on Friday. Both players are set to take on significant roles.

What’s on your mind a week from the real thing? Hit me up in the comments and I’ll do my best to respond to as many of you as possible.

October 13, 2026

The season that was: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 27: Toronto Blue Jays infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) is seen in the Blue Jays dugout during the first inning of an MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays on September 27, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After a very good 2024 season (especially the second half of it) and signing a huge, long term contract, we really were hoping for another step forward. Yeah, this will be less than fun.

We didn’t get it:

Standard Batting Table
Age	WAR	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	GIDP	HBP	SF	IBB
27	1.1	144	609	542	72	141	25	0	9	57	7	4	56	81	.260	.332	.356	.688	90	20	5	6	5

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/13/2026.

Baseball Reference has him at a 1.1 WAR as did FanGraphs, giving him a value of $8.6 million to the Jays.

He had a .305 wOBA and a 95 wRC+, down from .366 and 137.

His walk rate was down, 9.2% (from 11.9). The strikeout rate also down, 13.3% from 13.8.

Vlad’s line-drive rate was up (21.2% from 18.5). The ground ball rate was down (46.5% from 48.1). Fly balls down (32.3% from 33.4). Fewer of his fly balls left the park (14.3% from 17.1).

Vlad’s line-drive rate was down (17.3% from 21.2). The ground ball rate was up (48.6% from 46.5). Fly balls up (34.0% from 32.3). Far fewer of his fly balls left the park (5.7% from 14.3).

Soft contact was up (17.3% from 16.8), and hard contact was down (37.3% from 40.5).

Vlad hit LHP (.282/.383/.420) much better than RHP (.253/.314/.336).

He hit better on the road (.271/.328/.401) much better than at home (.249/.335/.311).

Vlad hit better in the first half of the season (.262/.346/.357) than in the second half (.257/.306/.354).

Vlad by month:

April: .354/.438/.469 with 2 home runs, 15 walks and 15 strikeouts in 31 games.

May: .232/.339/.284 with 1 home run, 15 walks and 10 strikeouts in 27 games.

June: .198/.235/.264 with 1 home run, 5 walks and 12 strikeouts in 23 games.

July: .256/.333-.395 with 2 home runs, 10 walks and 20 strikeouts in 23 games.

August: .221/.259/.299 with 1 home run, 4 walks and 9 strikeouts in 19 games.

September: ..275/.337/.400 with 2 home runs, 7 walks and 15 strikeouts in 21 games.

He hit .254/.333/.341 with RISP

Vlad was better in high leverage spots (.250/.340/.375) than low leverage spots (.239/.310/.331).

Defensively?

He had 8 errors at first base (most in the league), with a .992 fielding average (league average was .995).

FanGraphs has him at a +6 Outs Above Average. That is the top number at first base in the AL (Matt Olson, 12 and Ty France, 7 were higher in the NL).

FanGraphs has him at a -1.6 as a baserunner. He was 7 for 11 as a base stealer, which means we would have been better off if he didn’t try. If I ran things he’d have a permanent stop sign.

By Batting Order Position:

1st: 1 game, .250/.250/.250.
2nd: 39 games, .243/.317/.318.
3rd: 103 games, .267/.339/.373.

By Position:

First Base: 127 games, .276/.354/.376.
DH: 16 games, .149/.162/.224.
Pinch hit once and was 0 for 1.

Last year he hit better as a DH than when he was playing first.

The Jays were 71-72 in his starts.

Longest hitting streak was 12 games.

Longest on base streak was 14 games.

Longest without a home runs was 23 games.

Longest hitless streak was 4 games.

Vlad’s Favorite team to face: He hit .364/.400/.591 in 6 games against the Guardians.

Lease Favorite: Hit just .143/.205/.171 in 10 games against the Rays.

Times facing a starter:

First: .238/.296/.362.
Second: .284/.381/.388.
Third: .237/.276/.312.
He had 2 PA against a starter for the fourth time. He was 0 for 2.

Swinging at the first pitch of an at bat he hit .271/.284/.447 with 3 home runs.

Random Baseball Savant numbers:

Batting Run Value: 21st percentile.
Fielding Run Value: 77th percentile.
Expected Batting Average: 90th percentile.
Hard Hit %: 72nd percentile.
Sweet Spot%: 4th percentile.
Range: 88th percentile.
Arm Strength: 15th percentile.
Sprint Speed: 24th percentile.

So, yeah, it was a terrible season for Vlad.

A lot will be made of him getting LASIK. It seems like the trendy thing for baseball players (I’d guess not just baseball players but people in other sports too). Most of the time it isn’t shared publicly like Vlad’s. You can get better than 20/20 vision with it, and a lot of players want that.

I find it hard to believe that Vlad’s vision changed all that much over the last winter. I could be wrong, but I’d bet that not many people go from 20/20 vision to poor vision suddenly at age 27. And, of course, teams give players an eye exam during spring training.

But then, if I had Vlad’s money (as much as I’m sure the team would pay for it), I’d likely go for 20/15 vision.

Will it make a difference next year? I guess we’ll see. It might give him more confidence. Confidence does seem important.

Comparing him to his Hall of Fame father through their age 27 seasons, he:

Dad has pulled ahead on home runs 209 ro 192.
The son is still ahead on RBI: 648 to 623.
Jr. is ahead on games 1119 to 892.
Dad is ahead on bWAR, 31.5 to 26.9.
Dad is way ahead on OPS .973 to .839

At the start of Junior’s career, I asked “Who would have had the better career when Vlad Jr retires?” and I was surprised by how many said Junior. My answer was always ‘Bet on the guy in the Hall of Fame’. I still feel the same but Senior was out of a baseball at 36. Junior has a contract that will take him past that. And first base is easier on the body then right field. But, yeah bet on the Hall of Famer, always.

And, of course, Vlad is moving up the Blue Jays leader boards:

6th in bWAR: 26.9.
11th in Batting Average: .285.
11th in On Base: .361.
11th in Slugging: .478.
9th in OPS: .839.
8th in Games Played: 1119.
6th in Runs Scored: 643.
6th in Hits: 1218.
7th in Home Runs: 192.
9th in RBI: 591
5th in Walks: 486

Next year will be interesting. I’d bet on a bounce-back year, mostly because I don’t believe he could be this bad twice in a row. But in my OOTP Baseball, he was poor in 2027 and just awful in 2028…But I was able to trade him (without paying any of his leftover salary (yeah, not realistic, but I’m happy to have more money to play with). In the 6 games he’s played since the trade, he’s been very good.

If it really was a vision issue… well, it will likely take a bit for him to get used to tracking the ball with the better vision. Apparently, Bo Bichette had it done before last season, and he started slow this year, but improved as the season went on. He finished with a 97 OPS+, down from 128 last year.

Of course, there were some ‘aches and pains’ that might have added to Guerrero’s issues.

If I had to guess, I’d say Vlad might start slow and get better as the season goes on. But that’s a guess.

The fun of signing a huge contract is that people bring it up all the time, like a large salary means you are no longer a person who has the usual ups and downs everyone else does. But then, it is a problem I wouldn’t mind having.

October 13, 2026

Buffalo Sabres At Montreal Canadiens – Lineups, Injury Updates, And Game Notes

Game 7 - 10/13/26 - 6:30 pm at Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec

Buffalo – 3-3-0 | - 6 points – 5th place in the Atlantic Division

Montreal – 2-2-1 | - 5 points – 7th place in the Atlantic Division

Special Teams

Buffalo

Power Play – 13.6% (25th)

Penalty Kill – 60.0% (30th)

Montreal

Power Play – 5.9% (32nd)

Penalty Kill - 76.2% (21st)

Top Scorers

Buffalo

Tage Thompson: 6 GP, 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS

Owen Power: 6 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 PTS

Rasmus Dahlin: 6 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS

Montreal

Nick Suzuki: 5 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS

Chris Kreider: 5 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS

Lane Hutson: 5 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 PTS

Starting Goalies

Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2-2-0, 3.67 GAA, .812 Sv %)

Montreal – Jacob Fowler (1-1-0, 1.46 GAA, .938 Sv %)

Other Sabres Stories

Mrtka Looking To Take The Next Step Towards The NHL

Owen Power leads the Sabres in defensive scoring with seven points

Sabres Line Combinations and Pairings

Forwards

Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Josh Doan

Zach Benson - Noah Ostlund - Jack Quinn

Jiri Kulich - Josh Norris - Konsta Helenius

Ryan McLeod - Sam Carrick - Beck Malenstyn

Ex. Justin Danforth

Defense

Mattias Samuelsson - Zach Metsa

Olen Zellweger - Owen Power

Dennis Gilbert - Louis Crevier

Goaltenders

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Colten Ellis

Notes

Buffalo has earned a win in two of its last three games against Montreal.

The Sabres have earned more wins against the Canadiens (138) than any other opponent in franchise history. Buffalo has converted on three of its last eight power-play opportunities (37.5 percent), including at least one power-play goal in each of the team’s last two games.

A power-play goal tonight would mark the first time the Sabres have earned a power-play goal streak of three or more games since Jan. 27 to Feb. 5, 2026 (six games).

Owen Power has posted seven points (1+6) in Buffalo’s first six games. A point in tonight’s game would make him the first Sabres defenseman since Rasmus Dahlin (Oct. 13 to 27, 2022; 5+4) to record eight or more points in their first seven games of a season. Power (26:07) ranks seventh in time on ice per game among all NHL skaters.

Tage Thompson has registered 23 points (12+11) in 20 career games against Montreal, including seven points (3+4) in his last three games against the Canadiens. An assist in today’s game would make Thompson the first Sabres forward to record an assist streak of four or more games against Montreal since Jack Eichel from Nov. 8, 2018 to Oct. 9, 2019 (3+7).

Josh Norris has totaled eight points (3+6) in his last eight games against the Canadiens.

Tonight’s game will mark his first regular-season game against Montreal as a member of the Sabres.

Jiri Kulich is riding a three-game point streak against the Canadiens (2+1).

Tonight’s game concludes Buffalo’s 1st of 14 back-to-back sets in 2026-27, which opened with a 5-3 win vs. Florida yesterday afternoon.

Injuries

Matt Grzelcyk (IR - undisclosed)

Rasmus Dahlin (day-to-day - upper body)

Alex Lyon (upper body)

Conor Timmins (lower body; injured reserve)

Jason Zucker (sports hernia; injured reserve)

Topias Leinonen (lower body; injured reserve)

Jack Rathbone (lower body; injured reserve)

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

October 13, 2026

Pittsburgh Penguins At Chicago Blackhawks Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To Watch

The Pittsburgh Penguins will start their four-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Tuesday is the NHL's Frozen Frenzy, meaning all 32 teams will be in action throughout the day. The NHL has done this for the last three seasons and is doing it again this year.

The Penguins will face a Blackhawks team that has really struggled to start the year. They are 1-5-0 and have been outscored 26-12 in those six games. Defenseman Bowen Byram has also been rough to start his Blackhawks tenure after they acquired him during the offseason.

However, they'll get major help on Tuesday, as star forward Connor Bedard returns from offseason shoulder surgery. He's their best player by far and finished the 2025-26 season with 30 goals and 75 points in 69 games.

Forward Anton Frondell has been their best player to start the season, compiling one goal and four points in six games. This is his first full NHL season after making his debut last year, and he already looks the part.

Goaltender Spencer Knight is expected to start in goal for the Blackhawks, and he's coming off a stellar 2025-26 campaign. He saved 10.9 goals above expected, good for 14th among all NHL goaltenders last year, and finished with a .902 save percentage. The fact that he put up those numbers on one of the league's worst defensive teams is staggering.

As for the Penguins, Sergei Murashov will start in goal after having the night off on Saturday. He's been electric in his first two starts this year, posting a .938 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.

Andrei Kuzmenko is expected to play after sitting out the previous two games. He'll likely start on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen.

Here's a look at the full expected lines and pairs:

Forwards

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

Kuzmenko-Kindel-Koivunen

Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson

Defense

Carlile-Karlsson

Girard-Korczak

Stastney-Letang

Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

October 13, 2026

Dayton still loves watching the Dragons play ball

DAYTON, OH - MAY 29: Myles Smith #11 of the Dayton Dragons gives high fives in the dugout after scoring during the game between the West Michigan Whitecaps and the Dayton Dragons at Day Air Ballpark on Thursday, May 29, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

The 2026 regular season marked the fourth straight year that Major League Baseball has seen overall attendance rise. As Sports Business Journal noted at the end of September – coinciding with the end of the regular season itself – MLB teams averaged 29,601 fans per game through their 2,429 games, a mark that was up a half-percent year over year from 2025.

The Reds, though, saw their average attendance decline some 8.1% in one of the worst year over year declines, and at 24,589 per game they failed to top 2,000,000 million fans at all during 2026.

There are endless theories as to why the Reds stepped backwards. The obvious one is that they went from a team chasing a playoff spot (and eventually waltzing into it) to a team that collapsed early. There’s also the notion that ‘Reds Country’ is an expanse that depends upon the smaller metro areas an hour, two hours away that watch and listen and show up when the goings are good but ditch the idea of a six, or seven hour round trip to catch meaningless weekday games in August and September.

One place firmly entrenched within Reds country still perpetually finds a way to get in front of some incredibly sound baseball, however. Perhaps it’s the idea that the future of the Reds hasn’t yet been spoiled that draws them out on the regular, or perhaps it’s just that the minor league game that is played in their brilliant stadium is just simply a better overall product than what the Castellinis put on the field in Great American Ball Park year after year after year.

That, of course, is up the road in Dayton. Their Dragons drew in over 511,000 fans across the home slate of their regular season, and as Baseball America noted today that was the fourth most of any minor league club across the sport during the 2026 season.

The minor league baseball teams with the highest total home attendance in 2026 ⚾️

More on MiLB attendance trends:https://t.co/4BHxgn8dZu pic.twitter.com/4ewBbYOoqp
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) October 13, 2026

While that’s overly impressive in its own right, context is key here. Ranking in spots one through three on this list are all AAA clubs with significantly larger home stadiums, while only the Richmond Flying Squirrels (of the AA Eastern League and ranking seventh) join the Dragons as non-AAA clubs within the Top 10 in attendance overall.

And Richmond, you may recall, is a city that hosted AAA baseball for nearly 35 years before the Richmond Braves relocated to Gwinnett, Georgia.

It rarely matters how good the Dragons are to draw out their fans, either. Back in 2011 they famously broke the record for the most consecutive home game sellouts by a pro sports club y packing Day Air Ballpark for the 815th consecutive time, and the 2026 iteration of the Dragons only posted a 67-63 overall record. In other words, it’s not the winning that matters so much to the Dayton fans, it’s the baseball itself, especially since in the Midwest League they’re often viewing insanely talented prospects (such as Alfredo Duno for the first half of 2026) playing alongside and against 19 and 20 year olds who are about as un-finished as professionals as it gets.

Props to Dayton and Dragons fans for another year of incredible partnership. Maybe they can give the Reds themselves a few pointers!

October 13, 2026

Judge orders Trump administration to halt work on historic DC golf course

District judge Ana Reyes halts tree-cutting at the East Potomac golf course until 26 October, and now requires advance notice before making course changes

US district judge Ana Reyes on Tuesday ordered a halt to tree-cutting at the East Potomac golf course until 26 October, putting a further pause on work at the historic Washington DC course that has been part of Donald Trump’s plans to remake the country’’s capital city.

Reyes issued the order one day after a tense three-hour hearing in which she harshly criticized the government for having deceived her with its actions over the holiday weekend.

October 13, 2026

'Pretty Easy Decision': John Tavares Reclaims Maple Leafs' Top Power-Play Spot Over Gavin McKenna In Utah

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares will be returning to the lineup for the team's game against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. He missed Saturday's game against the Colorado Avalanche due to the birth of his fourth child, Tucker.

With his return, he is slotted back into his usual spot, centering the second line between Easton Cowan and William Nylander. Nick Paul filled that void against the Avalanche, recording a couple of assists on the night.

At morning skate in Salt Lake City, Tavares also got his spot on the top power-play unit back as the net-front presence. When he was unavailable against Colorado, rookie Gavin McKenna took that spot and made an immediate impact, recording a primary assist on Toronto's first power-play goal from Nylander and making an impressive backcheck that sparked Auston Matthews' goal.

Despite not giving the 18-year-old a longer look with the top unit on the man advantage, Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller recognizes the effect that McKenna had with the team's superstars.

Report: Maple Leafs Will Continue To Look Internally To Manage Injuries, But Defense Upgrades Possible In The FutureWith Chris Tanev's injury timeline unknown after he was sidelined on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs will look to handle it internally. But down the road, that could be a different story.

"Gavin did a good job, and you know, just like other situations in the game, Gavin will get put in and then pulled back a little bit," Hiller said after Tuesday's morning skate.

Given the early influence he had on the top unit on Saturday, questions have arisen about whether McKenna should remain on the top unit and Tavares should stick to the second unit upon his return.

"We're talking with John Tavares, it's a pretty easy decision to get John back in there," Hiller revealed. "He's had a great career. Still a great goal scorer. So that wasn't a hard one at all."

Maple Leafs' Gavin McKenna Reveals Another Strength To His Game, Breaking NHL Speed Records Among 18-Year-OldsToronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna is known for his playmaking ability in his young NHL career. But just five games into this season, he showed everyone that he has another dimension to his game, breaking speed records among 18-year-olds.

In five games played, Tavares has one goal and three points, including a point on the power play. McKenna has one goal and four points in six games this season, also with one power-play point to his name.

As a team, the Maple Leafs are tied for sixth in the NHL in power-play percentage, along with the New York Rangers. Toronto has executed at 26.3 percent, scoring five goals on 19 opportunities with the man advantage.

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October 13, 2026

Guy Conti, longtime Mets coach, dead at 84

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Former Mets coach Guy Conti has died at the age of 84, Image 2 shows Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez (r.) greets Guy Conti (l.) at Shea Stadium on May 30, 2008

Guy Conti, a longtime Mets instructor and advisor, has died after a lengthy illness, The Post confirmed. He was 84.

The Tarentum, Pa. native served as Mets bullpen coach from 2005-08 before becoming a minor league advisor within the organization. Conti previously worked for the Dodgers and was instrumental in Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez’s early development.

The Dodgers had earlier signed Pedro’s older brother Ramon, and Conti was dispatched to the Dominican Republic to scout the younger Martinez, who was very generously listed at 5-foot-11.

Former Mets coach Guy Conti has died at the age of 84. Anthony J. Causi

“I got there, I was presented with 20 pitchers and there was no 6-foot pitcher in there, never mind 6-foot-4 like Ramon was,” Conti told The Post in 2015. “All of a sudden when Pedro got on the mound and started throwing the ball, it just exploded. He just jumped off the page after that and, ‘Oh my goodness, this must be him.’ And it was history from that point.”

After signing with the Dodgers, the younger Martinez referred to Conti as his “white daddy.” Conti helped Martinez begin throwing a changeup, and perhaps just as importantly to speak a new language.

“Pedro, of all the kids that came from the Dominican, knew that he had to learn English as soon as he could,” Conti said. “My wife was a high school librarian, and I said, ‘Go to my wife, and learn the language.’ He would go to her and get a word in the morning and at 4 o’clock, he knew how to spell it, how to use it, how to write it and he wanted another one.”

Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez (r.) greets Guy Conti (l.) at Shea Stadium on May 30, 2008. Anthony J. Causi

The two were reunited with the Mets from 2005-08 after Martinez signed with the club.

Conti, after his major league coaching tenure concluded, served as the Mets spring training coordinator for several years. His friendship with Sandy Koufax helped bring the Hall of Famer to camp on several occasions.

“Guy was the first one to arrive at camp every morning and the last one to leave,” former media relations director Jay Horwitz said.

October 13, 2026

Devils Recall Former Senators First-Round Pick After Brief Stint In Minors

Former Senators first-rounder Stefan Noesen is back in the NHL after being recalled by the New Jersey Devils on Monday. The news comes three days after clearing waivers and his surprising demotion to the minors.

The Devils recalled the 33-year-old winger from the AHL's Utica Comets after placing Connor Brown, another former Senator, on injured reserve. Noesen did not suit up against the Senators, who defeated the Devils 4-1 on Monday evening.

Steve Warne describes the Senators amped up commitment to defensive structure this season.

Noesen's demotion last week came as a surprise, considering he had spent the previous four seasons as a full-time NHL player. After appearing in New Jersey's first two games this season, Noesen was placed on waivers, went unclaimed, and was assigned to Utica on Friday.

His fortunes have changed considerably over the past two years.

In 2024-25, Noesen enjoyed the finest season of his NHL career, scoring 22 goals and collecting 41 points in 78 games with the Devils.

But injuries then derailed his 2025-26 season. After missing the start of the season with a groin injury, Noesen later underwent knee surgery and finished the year with just three goals and seven points in 38 games.

Despite never wearing the centurion crest, Noesen has an interesting connection to Sens’ history.

He was one of three players selected by the Senators in the first round of the 2011 NHL Draft, joining Mika Zibanejad (sixth overall) and Matt Puempel (24th overall). Noesen was selected 21st overall with the pick Ottawa acquired from Nashville in the Mike Fisher trade.

Noesen never played a regular-season game for the Senators because, in July 2013, they traded him to the Anaheim Ducks as part of the Bobby Ryan deal. That deal came shortly after longtime Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson departed for Detroit.

More than 13 years after that trade, Noesen is still trying to extend his NHL career, and Monday's recall gives him another chance to do just that.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

October 13, 2026October 29, 2026

Key 2026-27 MLB offseason dates

Here are the key dates to keep an eye on during the 2026-27 MLB offseason...

5 DAYS AFTER WORLD SERIES ENDS: FREE AGENCY BEGINS

Teams have an exclusive five-day negotiating window with their internal free agents. Once that day passes, free agents are free to sign with any club.

NOV. 9-12: GM MEETINGS IN LAS VEGAS

The annual meeting of general managers could be more interesting this time around due to the expectation that a lockout will begin on Dec. 1.

These meetings usually serve as a prelude of sorts to the Winter Meetings, but it's possible that -- due to the likely truncated offseason -- free agent and trade action could already be percolating by the time the GM Meetings begin.

MID-NOVEMBER: DEADLINE FOR PLAYERS TO ACCEPT OR REJECT QUALIFYING OFFER

Teams have until the fifth day after the World Series ends to extend a qualifying offer to eligible players.

Any player who receives the QO has 10 days to decide whether to accept it or reject it.

If a player accepts, he returns to his current team for the 2027 season.

If a player rejects and signs elsewhere, his former team receives draft pick compensation.

NOV. 17-19: OWNERS MEETINGS IN NYC

The Owners Meetings could be especially notable this year given the expectation that there will be a work stoppage when the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires on Dec. 1.

NOV. 20: NON-TENDER DEADLINE

Players on the 40-man roster who have fewer than six years of major league service time must be tendered a contract each offseason by the non-tender deadline. This includes players who are due raises via arbitration. If a club non-tenders a player, he immediately becomes a free agent.

DEC. 7-10: MLB WINTER MEETINGS

The Winter Meetings are set to take place in Orlando, but there is a giant asterisk next to this one since the lockout is expected to begin on Dec. 1. The same can be said for the MLB Draft Lottery and Rule 5 Draft, which take place at the Winter Meetings.

DEC. 8: MLB DRAFT LOTTERY

The lottery will determine the order for the 2027 MLB Draft.

DEC. 9: RULE 5 DRAFT

The Rule 5 Draft takes place at the Winter Meetings, with certain minor leaguers who are not on the 40-man roster available. If a team selects a player, they must keep that player on their 26-man roster (or the IL) for the entire season or be forced to offer him back to the team he was selected from.

FEBRUARY: ARBITRATION FIGURES EXCHANGED

Once a player is offered arbitration, the team and that player's agent have a decent amount of time to come to terms on a new contract. If that doesn't happen, both sides submit salary proposals and the player's salary is determined by independent arbitrators during hearings.

MID-FEBRUARY: SPRING TRAINING BEGINS

Mets and Yankees pitchers and catchers report in mid-February. The first spring training games begin roughly a week after pitchers and catchers arrive in camp.

October 13, 2026

Blackhawks Send Nick Lardis To IceHogs To Make Room For Connor Bedard

On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks made it official that Connor Bedard is returning. He will be in the lineup when they take the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center on Tuesday night.

Bedard missed all of training camp, the preseason, and the first 6 regular-season games as he worked his way back from shoulder surgery. A lot of work was put in for him to return this quickly, as the July diagnosis had him coming back in mid-November.

To make room for Bedard on the roster, they had to send someone down to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs. Instead of putting someone on waivers and taking that type of chance, they sent Nick Lardis down.

Lardis was outstanding in camp and in the preseason, but it has been a tough six games for him. Playing a handful of games for the IceHogs could be good for him, if that's the route that they go. He already has experience scoring lots of goals down there, and it helped him have a strong showing when he was called up to the NHL last year.

When Frank Nazar returns from suspension, there will be even less room in the forward room, but they likely won't keep Dominic Toninato up long beyond that. They chose him over Lardis because Toninato can play center with Nazar out.

There is the possibility of more injuries to follow for others, and Lardis is at the top of the call-up list once again. If Lardis shows he is ready for a call-up before it becomes a necessity, the Blackhawks have proven that they won't hesitate, either.

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October 13, 2026

JJ Redick is a big fan of Chris Mañon: ‘We’re invested in his development’

SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Chris Manon #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

During his Summer League debut in 2025, while playing for the Golden State Warriors, Chris Mañon recorded eight points, three rebounds, three steals, two blocks and one assist in 19 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers. Although Mañon spent the entirety of his 2025 Summer League stint with the Warriors, his play in that opening game caught the eye of the Lakers organization, which ultimately signed him to a two-way contract for 2025-26 and did so again this summer for 2026-27.

Mañon has appeared in all three of Los Angeles’ preseason games thus far, headlined by a 12-point, five-rebound, one-block, one-steal performance against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5.

“I really like Chris. We had him in for a draft workout. I think we maybe had him in for two draft workouts,” Redick told reporters. “Then he was with Golden State during the California Classic and really popped against us. So we started working that pretty much immediately with his agent because he wasn’t on a two-way. So, we’re invested in him and we’re invested in his development, in his career. I thought he played really well against Sacramento. I don’t think any of our guards played well against Golden State.”

Mañon only played in nine games with the Lakers last season but logged 46 G League appearances for the South Bay Lakers, where he averaged 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals. His defensive playmaking, perhaps the standout trait of his game, has seemingly translated across every context. He posted a 5.6% steal rate in four years collegiately, posted a 3.8% steal rate in the G League last season, picked up five steals in 46 NBA minutes a year ago, and has four steals in 40 preseason minutes this season.

Redick has emphasized defensive disruption during training camp and preseason play, an area Mañon could clearly help boost with his knack for occupying the passing lanes. He’s also been a highly effective interior scorer, shooting 60.5% on 2-pointers for his collegiate career and 59.6% (155-of-260) in the G League. It’s doubtful the 24-year-old factors into Los Angeles’ rotation this year but he owns a collection of skills the Lakers are intrigued by, so his development will be worth monitoring wherever he receives the majority of his playing time in 2026-27.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

October 13, 2026

Joe Espada, in limbo with Astros, to interview for Mariners' managerial job

With his contract to manage the Houston Astros expiring at the end of this month, Joe Espada was granted permission by the club to interview with the Seattle Mariners for their open managerial position.

A baseball official with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Espada will interview with the Mariners. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Espada is still under contract.

Espada recently concluded his third season managing the Astros, leading them to a second American League West title in that span, even as they finished with an 81-81 record, the worst in major-league history for a division winner. The Astros' streak of eight consecutive playoff berths was broken in 2025; Espada was the club's bench coach or manager in seven of those seasons.

MLB.com first reported Espada was going to interview with Seattle.

The Mariners fired their manager, Dan Wilson, after a 76-86 season that fell well short of expectations after the club reached Game 7 of the AL championship series. Wilson's downfall arguably began then, as the club blew a 3-2 lead to the Toronto Blue Jays as Wilson made several questionable in-game decisions.

Espada's contract was set to expire along with Astros general manager Dana Brown's after this season. But Houston owner Jim Crane did not hesitate to fire Brown in August even as the club was fighting for the AL West title. Crane said then that Espada's status would be settled at season's end.

While Espada did guide the club to the postseason, the Astros' two-and-out performance against the visiting Chicago White Sox in the wild-card series certainly clouded his future.

Though switching managerial jobs within a division in one offseason is rare, it is hardly without precedent. Most notably, Craig Counsell jumped from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Chicago Cubs after the 2023 season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Espada, in limbo with Astros, to interview for Mariners' managerial job

October 13, 2026

Preseason updates on Sixers' injuries and rotation plans

Preseason updates on Sixers' injuries and rotation plans originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers still have a few lingering injury questions as the days tick down toward their regular-season opener next Tuesday against the Knicks.

Adem Bona (left foot sprain) and Anfernee Simons (hamstring) were partial participants in practice for the second straight day, a team official said Tuesday. Dominick Barlow (back) did not practice.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said Simons and Bona both “did a good majority of stuff in the half court.” Will they play Friday in the Sixers’ preseason finale vs. the Celtics?

“I hope so,” Nurse said. “I don’t know where that hope line is, but there’s certainly some hope.”

Barlow does not sound as if he’s on the verge of a return.

“There is no timeline,” Nurse said. “He just has some soreness that he’s dealing with. Giving him some real decent time off to see if that will kind of progress it quickly. There’s no timeline. Just hoping it gets a little better, he feels a little better and he can get back out there fairly shortly.”

On top of Ariel Hukporti’s right Achilles tendon tear, Bona and Barlow’s absences have contributed to the Sixers’ shorthanded state at center.

Whenever he gets the green light to play, Bona would be the logical next name in line after Joel Embiid. The Sixers used Jabari Walker and Dean Wade at the five Saturday in their blowout preseason loss to the Celtics. Walker has boosted his stock in the preseason, averaging 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per game and shooting 5 for 13 from three-point range (38.5 percent).

“They’ve both played pretty (well). I think Jabari’s played outstanding, actually,” Nurse said. “And Dean, we’ve seen that he’s a really good player, kind of a multi-faceted guy. … He can pop, he can guard multiple positions, he rebounds really well for his position.

“So I think those guys have done a nice job and that’s where we’ll start if we have to, as far as backup five. But it looks like they both are capable. I guess we’ll see. It’ll matter with matchups, who we’re playing and all that kind of stuff, too. … I’m pretty happy with the jump Jabari has taken, just confidence-wise. And I’m really happy with the player that Dean is.”

Meanwhile, Simons has yet to make his Sixers preseason debut.

For what it’s worth, Labaron Philon Jr. gave a rave review of the 27-year-old guard’s practice performance.

“He looked great,” Philon said. “Coming off screens, shooting the ball, getting into the lane, pull-ups. He’s a very confident, high-level shotmaker. … Seeing a guy come back and be ready like that, it’s crazy. I would say he made a lot of threes today and he was coming off of real quick actions.”

Philon had his most productive game of the preseason last time out, posting 14 points and seven assists.

The rookie has been learning the many new details of life in the NBA and feels “the game has really slowed down as I’ve gotten better and the preseason has gone on.”

“There’s really more space on the court,” Philon said, “and you’ve got to be able to knock down shots. … Knowing where to be on the court, knowing how to space on offense, and knowing how to be at the right place at the right time on defense.”

Being around tons of talented players and stepping into a bench role hasn’t seemed to dent Philon’s self-belief.

“His confidence is through the roof,” VJ Edgecombe said. “Everybody knows he plays with such a swagger. We’ve seen it in college. I played against him in high school. He always had that swagger; he’s always been confident. I’m just happy to see him on the floor and he’s been playing really well.”

Could Philon be part of the Sixers’ opening-night rotation?

Nurse indicated that Simons’ health will be the largest factor in answering that particular question.

“I think they’re different players,” Nurse said. “It’s not maybe direct competition, but I think the competition is, ‘Who’s the guard off the bench in the rotation?’ I’m going to probably lean more toward a nine-year veteran, as long as he’s healthy. And I think with the talent that he has … I envision those three — VJ, Tyrese (Maxey), Anfernee — sharing that spot as much as possible.

“And then (Philon) gets a crack in probably pretty short stints at the start (of the season). That’s how I would see it. And if Anfenee’s out, then (Philon) is now in that rotation.”