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Blue Jays' Bo Bichette left off ALDS roster vs. Yankees due to knee injury

The Yankees won't see some familiar faces when they take on the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 American League Division Series.

Toronto announced its roster for the playoff series on Saturday morning, ahead of Game 1 at 4:00 p.m., and star shortstop Bo Bichette is not on it.

Bichette, 27, has been out since Sept. 6 with a knee injury. 

The SS finished the 2025 regular season tied for second in hits with 181 (along with Padres' Luis Arraez), just three less than the Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. over 18 less games (139 played by Bichette). He also finished second in the AL in batting average at .311 behind Aaron Judge's .331 mark.

Bichette hit .281 with nine hits, including a home run, six RBI, and five runs scored over nine games against the Yanks in the regular season.

He would be eligible to be added to the ALCS roster if the Blue Jays were to advance.

Additionally, Toronto left veteran pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt off the ALDS roster, as well as 1B Ty France. The club decided to go with Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage as their starting pitchers, plus Eric Lauer, who started 15 games in the regular season and pitched in another 13 out of the bullpen.

Scherzer went 5-5 over 17 regular seasons start, pitching to a 5.19 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. He gave up four runs on 10 hits across 5.0 IP in his last start on Sept. 24 against the Red Sox.

Bassitt owned a 11-9 record with a 3.96 ERA over 32 games (31 starts). Like Scherzer, he also struggled down the stretch, allowing three runs on eight hits over 4.1 IP against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 18.

As for the Yankees, no major changes were made to their ALDS roster compared to the Wild Card series. Luis Gil, who's starting Game 1, was added to replace Mark Leiter Jr.

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Blackhawks Vs Blues: Roster, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Preseason Game 6

The Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the Minnesota Wild on Friday Night. The road team brought a lot of their star players with them for that game, but the Blackhawks basically had an unofficial dress rehearsal. 

The Blackhawks blew a 2-0 lead in that game just to drop it 3-2. A bad second period with three Minnesota power-play goals allowed was the downfall for Chicago. Now, those players just have to be ready for Tuesday night in Sunrise against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. 

The Blackhawks still have one more preseason game against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. This will be Chicago dressing an AHL lineup for the final game. Some of the guys that play will be looking for an opening night roster spot, but this group will mostly begin the year with the Rockford IceHogs. 

Roster: 

ImageChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xlast preseason game before the regular season🤝 🗞️ https://t.co/MvjVtexMr6

Guys like Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, and Lukas Reichel would all like to make the team. They also all had a legit chance at the start of camp but there are only so many spots. Over time, they can earn a spot with their play if they aren’t on the team by Tuesday.

That also goes for Nolan Allan, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, and Louis Crevier. There are always injuries or inconsistencies during a long season, especially with a lot of young players, so everyone will get their chance. 

For the rest of the lineup, this is their chance to play in a home NHL sweater in front of a pro-Blackhawks crowd for the last time before they move back to Rockford for what is likely the rest of the season. Some of them may get that call-up at some point, but everything has to be earned. This is a great audition opportunity for a lot of these AHL guys. 

How To Watch

Those looking for the game in the Chicago area can find it on CHSN. Out-of-market viewings can be found on ESPN+. The puck will drop at the United Center at 7:00 PM CT.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Verstappen points finger at Norris after Russell grabs brilliant pole in Singapore

  • Rejuvenated Mercedes driver takes top spot by 0.182sec

  • Norris accused of impeding Dutchman’s flying lap

George Russell is in talks to extend his contract with Mercedes, but could surely do no more to make his case than a magnificent lap on Saturday to claim pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen was beaten into second, but the world champion was aggrieved that he had been denied by Lando Norris, complaining of being obstructed by the McLaren driver.

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Jimmy Butler questionable for Warriors-Lakers preseason opener with ankle injury

Jimmy Butler questionable for Warriors-Lakers preseason opener with ankle injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler is going through his first training camp with the Warriors after being acquired from the Miami Heat at last February’s trade deadline, but his preseason debut with the team might have to wait. 

Butler rolled his ankle Thursday and did not practice Friday or Saturday. Coach Steve Kerr is calling Butler’s status a “question mark” for Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center. 

“That’ll be a training staff decision,” Kerr said. 

The Warriors and director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini will be extremely cautious with the health of players throughout preseason, especially veterans like Butler, Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford. Curry, Green and Horford are expected to play Sunday.

Center Trayce Jackson-Davis also is considered questionable for the Warriors. Jackson-Davis when speaking Saturday at the podium had his right thumb taped up. 

He says it isn’t anything to worry about. 

“Thumb’s good,” Jackson-Davis said. “Just a little precaution.” 

Guard De’Anthony Melton continues to rehab from left ACL surgery he underwent in December. Melton will miss all of the 2025-26 NBA preseason, as well as the start of the regular season. He has been able to go through individual work as the rest of Warriors practice and scrimmage in training camp. 

The Warriors on Wednesday announced Melton will be re-evaluated in four weeks. 

Rookie Alex Toohey also will not be healthy enough to play Sunday, delaying his NBA preseason debut. Toohey has been dealing with an ankle injury that has hampered him in training camp and prior to that as well. 

With their first of two second-round draft picks, the Warriors selected Toohey No. 52 overall in June. Toohey, a 6-foot-8 forward from Australia, played six summer league games and averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. 

The Lakers on Friday played their first preseason game, losing 103-81 against the Phoenix Suns. LeBron James and Luka Dončić both didn’t play in the loss.

Kerr plans to use a deep rotation Sunday without any one player tiring himself out.

“I don’t think anybody will play much more than 15, 18 minutes,” Kerr said. “Maybe a couple young guys get into the 20s. First game, I love to give everybody time. I want to give every player who’s on the active list some minutes.”

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Why The Bridgeport Islanders Signed Defenseman Andrej Sustr To An AHL PTO

The Bridgeport Islanders have signed right-handed defenseman Andrej Sustr to an AHL Professional Tryout. 

The 34-year-old, who had been on an NHL PTO with the New York Rangers, played in a preseason game with them before they released him on Sept. 29. 

Why did Bridgeport sign a defenseman who hasn't played in the NHL or AHL since the 2021-22 season?

The likely reason is due to the injury to veteran defenseman Ethan Bear, who signed a one-year, two-way deal this summer to bolster the Islanders' blue-line depth.

Explaining Season-Opening Injured Reserve & How That Impacts Islanders Explaining Season-Opening Injured Reserve & How That Impacts Islanders EAST MEADOW, NY -- By Monday at 5 PM ET, the New York Islanders and the 31 NHL teams must submit their salary-cap-compliant rosters to the league office. 

The 28-year-old sustained what appeared to be a hand injury after blocking a shot in the New York Islanders' preseason game against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 26. 

With Bear out, that left Bridgeport with only three right-side defenseman, if you count Isaiah George playing on his off-side. The other two are Cole McWard and Marshall Warren, so there was a clear need there. 

In the AHL, a PTO lasts 25 games so we'll see how long Sustr remains in Bridgeport. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Minnesota Wild Sign Goaltender Filip Gustavsson To A Five-Year Extension

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild have signed goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a five-year contract extension worth $34 million ($6.8m AAV). 

Gustavsson, 27, was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 55th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He was then traded to the Ottawa Senators before he ever played a game for the Penguins.

In two seasons with the Senators, Gustavsson went 10-13-3 with a .905 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average. After the 2021-2022 season he was traded to the Wild in exchange for Cam Talbot.

The 6-foot-2 goaltender has been with the Wild the last three seasons. He burst onto the scene in his first year and was one of the top goalies in the league in the 39 games he played.

He went 22-9-7 with a .931 save percentage and a 2.10 goals-against average with three shutouts. He finished second in save percentage that year and goals-against average behind Linus Ullmark who won the Veznia Trophy.

The following season Gustavsson struggled. He went 20-18-4 with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage in 45 games. The Wild missed the playoffs that season as well.

But, Gustavsson bounced back last year and in 58 games for the Wild he went 31-19-6 with a .916 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average with five shutouts.

He has one year left on his contract and now has been extended for five more seasons. He has a full no-move clause right now until 2028 and then it turns into a 15-team no-move clause for the remaining three years.

Gustavsson ranks fourth all-time in Wild franchise history in wins, sixth in goals-against average, fourth in save percentage, fifth in shutouts and sixth in games played. He is 73-46-17 in 142 career games with a .914 save percentage, 2.59 goals-against average and 11 shutouts with the Wild.

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Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

Minnesota Wild Sign Kirill Kaprizov To An 8-Year Contract ExtensionMinnesota Wild Sign Kirill Kaprizov To An 8-Year Contract ExtensionST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild announced on Tuesday an eight-year contract extension worth $136 million ($17 million AAV) for its superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov.

- Hunter Haight Continues To Make An Impression At Training Camp.

- Minnesota Wild Release Defenseman Jack Johnson From His Professional Tryout.

- Wild's Mats Zuccarello Out For Two Months With Lower-Body Injury.

- Former Minnesota Wild Defenseman Retires From NHL.

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Leeds United 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League – as it happened

Mohammed Kudus scored the winner and won player of the match as Spurs won their fifth game against Leeds in a row

3 min: A cracking atmosphere at Elland Road, by the way. Like that’s breaking news. One of the great old-school theatres.

2 min: Bogle sends a long pass down the right for Calvert-Lewin, who is skittled to the ground by Van de Ven. You’ve seen free kicks given for much less, but the referee waves play on and the ball sails out for a goal kick. It’s a contact sport, I guess.

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3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi games with another defeat to Knicks

3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi games with another defeat to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers are halfway done their preseason schedule and ready to head home.

The team wrapped up its Abu Dhabi action against the Knicks on Saturday with a second straight loss, falling to a 112-104 defeat. 

Tyrese Maxey scored 16 first-half points and sat out the second.

The Sixers’ third of four preseason games is scheduled for next Friday, Oct. 10 vs. the Magic. Here are observations on their loss Saturday:

Edgecombe jumps out 

The Sixers rolled out the same starting lineup as in their preseason opener: Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona. They remained without Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George (left knee), Jared McCain (right thumb) and Trendon Watford (right hamstring). 

Edgecombe was the star of the first few minutes Saturday, scoring or assisting on all of the Sixers’ first 10 points.

On the game’s first possession, Edgecombe got fouled on a three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson and made all of his free throws. He recorded the Sixers’ next two points in eye-popping style with a swift drive from the wing followed by a rim-shaking slam. The rookie showed zero concern about OG Anunoby’s presence in the paint. 

Edgecombe assisted a Barlow corner three and an Oubre long two in the early going. He had a confident, attacking approach without being reckless in his decision-making. 

The Baylor product also knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple later in the first quarter. He hasn’t been hesitant to put up jumpers, but that was a relatively weak area of his game in Abu Dhabi. Edgecombe air balled a couple of three-point tries Saturday.

Offense needs to sharpen ahead of opener 

For the Sixers’ regulars, shooting was not a bright spot in either of their first two contests.

For the most part, the Sixers’ offensive issues can be chalked up to collective preseason rustiness as jump shooters (and the absences of Embiid, George, McCain and Watford). Installing new aspects of their offense is another notable factor, although the Sixers seemed to keep things simple in Abu Dhabi, leaning on basic drive-and-kick principles in the half court. 

The Sixers’ Maxey-led offense did begin to look crisper, faster and better overall around the midpoint of the second quarter. They’ll expect continued improvement over the weeks leading into the regular-season opener on Oct. 22 against the Celtics. 

A chance for Chandler to show his game

The Sixers’ second unit had a decent day.

Jabari Walker started the second half in Barlow’s place and Kennedy Chandler took over for Maxey at point guard.

Chandler faces clear challenges at under 6 feet tall, but he’s a speedy, aggressive player and had plenty of nice moments Saturday. He created a defensive highlight in the first quarter when he swiped a scrappy backcourt steal against Miles McBride. Chandler found a scoring groove in the second half, too.

Two-way contract player Hunter Sallis and veteran guards Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry did not play Saturday. Chandler, Walker, Andre Drummond, Justin Edwards, Johni Broome, Malcolm Hill and Saint Thomas appeared off of the Sixers’ bench.

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3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi Games with another defeat to Knicks

3 observations after Sixers finish Abu Dhabi Games with another defeat to Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers are halfway done their preseason schedule and ready to head home.

The team wrapped up its Abu Dhabi action against the Knicks on Saturday with a second straight loss, falling to a 112-104 defeat. 

Tyrese Maxey scored 16 first-half points and sat out the second.

The Sixers’ third of four preseason games is scheduled for next Friday, Oct. 10 vs. the Magic. Here are observations on their loss Saturday:

Edgecombe jumps out 

The Sixers rolled out the same starting lineup as in their preseason opener: Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona. They remained without Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George (left knee), Jared McCain (right thumb) and Trendon Watford (right hamstring). 

Edgecombe was the star of the first few minutes Saturday, scoring or assisting on all of the Sixers’ first 10 points.

On the game’s first possession, Edgecombe got fouled on a three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson and made all of his free throws. He recorded the Sixers’ next two points in eye-popping style with a swift drive from the wing followed by a rim-shaking slam. The rookie showed zero concern about OG Anunoby’s presence in the paint. 

Edgecombe assisted a Barlow corner three and an Oubre long two in the early going. He had a confident, attacking approach without being reckless in his decision-making. 

The Baylor product also knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple later in the first quarter. He hasn’t been hesitant to put up jumpers, but that was a relatively weak area of his game in Abu Dhabi. Edgecombe air balled a couple of three-point tries Saturday.

Offense needs to sharpen ahead of opener 

For the Sixers’ regulars, shooting was not a bright spot in either of their first two contests.

For the most part, the Sixers’ offensive issues can be chalked up to collective preseason rustiness as jump shooters (and the absences of Embiid, George, McCain and Watford). Installing new aspects of their offense is another notable factor, although the Sixers seemed to keep things simple in Abu Dhabi, leaning on basic drive-and-kick principles in the half court. 

The Sixers’ Maxey-led offense did begin to look crisper, faster and better overall around the midpoint of the second quarter. They’ll expect continued improvement over the weeks leading into the regular-season opener on Oct. 22 against the Celtics. 

A chance for Chandler to show his game

The Sixers’ second unit had a decent day.

Jabari Walker started the second half in Barlow’s place and Kennedy Chandler took over for Maxey at point guard.

Chandler faces clear challenges at under 6 feet tall, but he’s a speedy, aggressive player and had plenty of nice moments Saturday. He created a defensive highlight in the first quarter when he swiped a scrappy backcourt steal against Miles McBride. Chandler found a scoring groove in the second half, too.

Two-way contract player Hunter Sallis and veteran guards Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry did not play Saturday. Chandler, Walker, Andre Drummond, Justin Edwards, Johni Broome, Malcolm Hill and Saint Thomas appeared off of the Sixers’ bench.

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Devils Wrap Up Preseason Against Flyers

The New Jersey Devils will face the Philadelphia Flyers at 12:30 p.m. today in Philadelphia for their final preseason game before the puck officially drops on the 2025–26 season.

New Jersey enters the matchup with a 3-2-1 preseason record, having faced the Rangers, Capitals, Islanders, and Senators.

On Friday, the Devils made a pair of roster moves. The team acquired forward Zack MacEwen from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Kurtis MacDermid, general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced.

In addition, forwards Jack Malone and Matyas Melovsky have joined the team in Philadelphia and will suit up for the final preseason game.

The Flyers enter the contest with a 2-4-0 record.

Projected Devils lineup:

Cotter – Glendening – Gritsyuk

Lachance – Rooney – Hämeenaho

Hardman – Malone – Parent

Gruden – Melovsky – Legaré

Cholowski – Addison

Edwards – Strand

Vilen – Diotte

AllenRomanov

The Flyers lineup is expected to feature key players such as Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, Matvei Michkov, and Trevor Zegras.

New Jersey continues to manage several injuries heading into its final preseason matchup. Brett Pesce (undisclosed), Stefan Noesen (lower body), and Seamus Casey (lower body) will all be unavailable.

Earlier this week, the Devils signed restricted free agent Luke Hughes to a seven-year, $63 million contract extension on October 1. Hughes will not be active for the preseason finale, but head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed he will be ready for the start of the regular season.

Ahead of today’s game, Keefe spoke to NHL.com about the focus for the final tune-up.

“I think it’s just about continuing to sharpen our game,” Keefe said. “The preseason has been a little long, as it always is, but it’s given us time to evaluate and manage workloads. The key is making sure we’re healthy and ready to peak when the regular season starts.”

While the outcome won’t affect the standings, there’s still plenty of excitement, with several young players battling for roster spots.

One of those is Shane Lachance, who returned to action after missing the start of training camp due to injury.

“What I can control is just going out there and doing my thing, working as hard as I can, and playing my style,” Lachance said. “Obviously, you want to be on the NHL roster, but you just focus on what you can control.”

Another name to watch is Arseny Gritsyuk, who has impressed in his first few games at the NHL level. Gritsyuk is currently tied with Jack Hughes and Simon Nemec for the team lead in preseason points.

Keefe praised the organization’s approach to giving prospects valuable opportunities.

“You have to put them in spots where they can show what they can do,” he said of Gritsyuk and other young players. “At the same time, the NHL guys need their reps. It’s a balance, but I think we’ve managed to get the young players a good variety of looks this preseason.”

The puck drops at 12:30 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena, marking the Devils’ final chance to evaluate their prospects before the regular season begins

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Panthers bring back Cole Schwindt, who was part of trade that landed Matthew Tkachuk

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Cole Schwindt was a player the Florida Panthers reluctantly included in the trade that brought them Matthew Tkachuk from Calgary three years ago.

And now, the Panthers brought Schwindt back.

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions claimed Schwindt off waivers Friday — a move that, somewhat ironically, figures to help them get through playing without Tkachuk for the first few weeks of the season.

“We had him before and we know what he can do,” Florida president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said. “There’s a lot of upside. It’s a great opportunity for him.”

Schwindt — who was in the deal that sent Jonathan Huberdeau, Mackenzie Weegar and draft capital to the Flames for Tkachuk in 2022 — spent last season with Vegas, playing in 42 games and finishing with a goal and seven assists. He played in three games with Florida in 2021-22 and four games with Calgary in 2023-24, never registering a point in either of those stops.

But with Tkachuk out until probably December, and with captain Aleksander Barkov expected to miss most if not the entire season with torn knee ligaments, Florida needed to replenish its depth. Schwindt was placed on waivers Thursday by Vegas and the Panthers won the claim.

Schwindt’s brother, Kai Schwindt, is also part of the Panthers organization. Kai Schwindt was in camp with the team this fall and was assigned earlier this week to Florida’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte.

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Phillies selling nine bite-sized hot dogs, nine tiny beers to help fans complete 9-9-9 challenge

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies want to fuel their fans on a postseason run with a bit of gluttony through a small-scale twist on the popular 9-9-9 challenge.

The Phillies are selling nine bite-sized hot dogs paired with nine tiny beers — each not much more than a shot glass’ worth — in a one-stop box complete with a scorecard to keep track of the total.

The 9-9-9 challenge has gone viral as baseball fans try to drink nine regular beers and eat nine standard hot dogs during a game. The Phillies are offering the beer-and-dog combo in one package for $54.99 in section 128, starting with Saturday’s Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.

“9-9-9 is a regular season, middle of the summer challenge with your crew. October baseball is lock-in time,” retired NFL star JJ Watt wrote on social media.

Watt completed the full-size challenge over 5 1/2 innings earlier this summer at a Milwaukee Brewers game.

The Phillies are also selling stuffed turkey eggrolls and s’mores espresso martinis on their postseason menu.

The team and vendor Aramark were already selling Bader Tots, named for outfielder Harrison Bader. At the baseball home of cheesesteaks and crab fries, the tots come like the heart of the Phillies’ order: loaded. They’re topped with American cheese sauce, crumbled bacon, cheddar Jack cheese, sour cream and scallions.

The Phillies ended their popular $1 hot dog nights ahead of the 2024 season and replaced them with a 2-for-1 promotion on select dates.