After a long, hot summer, the return of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey is just days away with training set to open this Thursday at the UPMC Lemieux complex in Cranberry. There will be just three days of practice for the Penguins before preseason action opens a week from today, September 21st, against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. There will the three more preseason games to follow before the regular season gets underway on September 30th with the Penguins heading across the state to take on the Philadelphia Flyers.
In preparation for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, The Skating Penguin Network, hosted by Robbie and Snail, dusted off the microphones and recorded their first (pre) preseason episode last week, catching up on some news from around the NHL.
Robbie and Snail discussed the ongoing trade request situations coming out of Detroit and Winnipeg, touched on the prospects challenge taking place this past weekend, talked training camp and the preseason, tried to figure out where summer went, and much more.
This was their first episode since July, meaning there was a lot of ground to cover even though it was a relatively quite summer from the Penguins and most of the NHL if we’re being honest.
With hockey season coming quickly, episodes will be dropping more frequently in the run up to the 2026-27 which begins at the end of the month. Once puck drops, Robbie and Snail will be back to a regular schedule of recapping games and covering any news surrounding the Penguins or hockey in general.
Below you will find a link to the show and all episodes that will be updated as they are published. This show is the rebranded Pensburgh podcast that went independent a few years ago and we appreciate all who listen and encourage any one else to jump on board for the new season.
Derrick White attempts a 3-pointer against the 76ers. | NBAE via Getty Images
September belongs to football. We all know that, and most of us are OK with it.
But some of us – even those who love football, too – are counting down the days to basketball season. It’s never too early to look ahead and predict how this Celtics season could unfold.
The goal here is to have a little fun and make some educated guesses that might be a bit outside the box or slightly unexpected. With that in mind, here is one statistical prediction for each player on the roster:
Jayson Tatum will have multiple regular-season triple-doubles.
It was the year of Jaylen Brown last year. Now, it’s the year of Jayson Tatum. He has five regular-season triple-doubles in his eight-plus-year career, but no regular season has featured more than one.
This year, he gets at least two (maybe even three or four). Tatum remains a criminally underrated rebounder and passer, and he’ll take those skills to another level this year with Brown gone.
A long-awaited moment from last season… the return of Jayson Tatum 🍀
298 days after tearing his Achilles, JT dropped a near triple-double in his season debut at home in March.
I know, I know. Don’t jinx it. I’m sorry in advance. Paul George has had one of the more bizarre careers of this generation. Somewhere along the way, a lot of people forgot just how good he is at basketball.
Is he the same George who tore it up in Indiana? Nope, but he’s still an excellent all-around player – as long as he’s on the floor. He’s only played 57-plus games once in the last seven seasons, but I’m going to predict that he does so this year. But no, you still shouldn’t draft him in your fantasy league.
Derrick White finishes with shooting splits of 43/38/86 or better.
Derrick White shot 46.1 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from 3-point range and 90.1 percent from the line in 2023-24. Obviously, that was a special team and he benefited from the talent around him, but I think last year was an outlier rather than a regression to the mean. He’s poised for a big bounce-back year as a shooter after seeing his percentages dip to 39.4 from the field and 32.7 percent from distance.
You just know he’s been in the lab a little extra this summer, and I’m confident it will pay off in a major way this season. He flirts with 45/40/90 and doesn’t quite get it, but it’s still a major step in the right direction that has a ripple effect throughout the roster. White is probably the biggest X-factor for this team, and seeing him hit his shots provides a jolt and helps others do the same.
Payton Pritchard averages career highs in points, rebounds and assists per game.
Payton Pritchard’s scoring, rebounding and assist numbers have all increased every year since 2022-23, and there’s no reason to think that won’t be the case this year. Last year, he ended up at 17 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. I think 18.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds is a reasonable guess. Those aren’t quite all-star numbers, but they’re not far off.
Neemias Queta makes his first career 3-pointer.
Neemias Queta is a fun player, so this one could go in a lot of different directions, but I think he’s going to surprise people this year with his mid-range shooting. All I want from him is the wherewithal and confidence to be able to turn to the basket and hit a free-throw-line jumper when defenses dare him to do so in the pick and roll. That slight shift in mindset will briefly translate to one 3 (maybe even two or three) in a magical moment for the Celtics and their fans.
Neemias Queta with another monster game for Portugal 😈
Sam Hauser shoots between 35 and 45 percent from 3-point range every month.
Sam Hauser ended up having a decent shooting season last year (not great by his very high standards, but still solid), but it was a bit of a wild ride to get there. He hit just 27.5 percent of his attempts in November, reached 45.1 for January, dipped to 33 percent in March, then hit 52.6 in six April games. This year is less erratic and more consistent, with nothing quite as high or quite as low.
Mitchell Robinson shoots 50 percent or better from the free-throw line.
The Celtics are truly excellent when it comes to player development, and I believe they’ll find some slight tweak to Mitchell Robinson’s motion that allows him to improve on his 40.8-percent mark from last year. He won’t suddenly become Steph Curry, but he’ll get to a point where he’s not as much of a liability and teams won’t be able to hack him without hesitation.
Baylor Scheierman averages at least 2.5 assists per game.
Baylor Scheierman is starting to get comfortable as a shooter, defender and glue guy. The next step for him is to return to the playmaking style he displayed in college. Scheierman averaged 3.6 assists in college, and I say he gets to 2.5 this year (compared to 1.5 last year) – even with the ball in his hands a lot less than it was at South Dakota State and Creighton.
On a night he's honored for being the first man in NCAA history with 2000 points, 1000 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 three-pointers, Baylor Scheierman turns in Creighton's first points/rebounds/assist TRIPLE DOUBLE in program history. pic.twitter.com/5EnuFlXe4A
Hugo González averages at least 1.3 steals per game.
He averaged 0.6 last year in just 14.6 minutes. It’s fair to assume his minutes will increase this year and the steals will increase naturally as well. Last year, 1.3 would have put him in the top 60 in the NBA, and I say he gets there this year.
Jordan Walsh has a game with at least 3 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals.
I think Jordan Walsh is poised for a breakout season. He doesn’t get enough credit for his role last year, and I think he’ll start to get more this year as he continues to trend in the right direction. That will result in at least one game where he stuffs the stat sheet in every area. He came close to the feat last year, and this year he gets it done.
Ron Harper Jr. drops 30 at least once.
Ron Harper Jr. is capable of erupting on any given night. I think he’ll play regularly, but there will be a lopsided game this year where he goes nutty and hits 30. He came close with 27 in the regular-season finale last year, and this year I think he hits the mark.
Mike Conley Jr. shoots 40 percent or better from 3-point range.
This is an ideal setup for Mike Conley Jr., where he’ll get high-percentage looks as a result of the Celtics’ ball movement. All he has to do is knock them down, and I think he will at a very high clip with not much volume.
Luka Garza averages fewer than 2 fouls per game.
Luka Garza fared admirably whenever his number was called, but it’s also clear his defense needs to improve to remain in the rotation with Robinson in the picture. This year, he cuts down on the fouls and averages fewer per game than he did last year (2.3).
Amari Williams hits double digits multiple times.
He came close last year. This year, he finds a way to get 10-plus points – not just once, but two or three times. It will be tough for Williams to get regular playing time with Queta, Robinson and Garza all ahead of him, but he proves he belongs and carves out more of a role than last season.
Chris Cenac Jr. has a game with three-plus blocks.
Chris Cenac Jr. is better defensively than people think. He moves well for his size, has long arms and alters shots at the rim. I say he has a game this season where he swats a few shots and fires up the crowd.
Dillon Mitchell has at least three dunks that bring the house down.
Dillon Mitchell can really get up and is a candidate for the Slam Dunk Contest down the road. He displays that skill in stretches this year and leaves fans in awe on multiple occasions.
The defending American League champions have underperformed all season, following the lead of their superstar and $500 million man, who, entering Sunday, Sept. 13, had not hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season – a 75-game power outage for a man who once hit 48 in a season.
But Guerrero got off the schneid with his first Canadian longball this season, the middle of back-to-back-to-back shots off Baltimore's Trevor Rogers that had the home crowd chanting his name and his teammates giddy with joy.
And now, after spending almost the entire season on the wrong side of .500, the Blue Jays are just one game out of a playoff berth and up to No. 13 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.
Just like Vladdy, who now has eight home runs this season, can the Blue Jays prove it's never too late?
They have a golden opportunity to make up ground this week, trailing the Cleveland Guardians by one game and the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox by 1½. Those two meet in a three-game series, while Toronto takes on the Detroit Tigers. Now 75-75, the Blue Jays haven't been two games above .500 since April 1, when they were 4-2.
If they can reach those "heights" in the final 12 games, a very unlikely playoff spot may be in the offing.
Here's a look at our updated MLB power rankings entering the week of Sept. 14:
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: Esmerlyn Valdez #55 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on September 09, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a move over the weekend, assigning rookie outfielder Esemerlyn Valdez to the 10-day IL with a hamstring injury sustained running to first base. The Pirates will bring outfielder Ronny Simon back from Triple A as a replacement. Simon was brought up last week but sent back down on Ryan O’Hearn’s return.
The 22-year-old Valdez has been a pleasant suprise this season for the Pirates, hitting .232 with 17 homers and 47 RBIs over 72 games played. But with just 14 games left in the season, we’ve likely seen the last of Valdez this year.
Simon has been having a great year at Indianapolis, hitting .334 with 7 homers and 72 RBIs, and he’s played in 10 games at the big-league level, going 9-for-35 (.282) on the season with 2 RBIs.
Until Valdez went down, the Bucs were finally looking mostly healthy again, and they responded by going 4-2 on their Chicago road trip. The team is back to .500 but still stand 5.5 games back of a Wild Card spot and are unlikely to make the playoffs.
The Bucs are off today but will return to action tomorrow when they start a three-game set at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. They then have two more series at home, with three each against the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals, before wrapping up the 2026 MLB season on the road against the Detroit Tigers. So finshing strong is still a possibility, but the playoffs only happen with a complete collapse of the teams in front of them.
So with Steelers season underway and off to a 1-0 start, the Bucs kept it interesting almost all the way until football season, and that’s more than we can say for years past.
NJ.com | Bob Klapisch ($): Gerrit Cole has been stung by the largest home run bug I’ve seen in a while, seven long balls over two starts against the Padres and Mets. The Yankees have lost both of those games, unsurprising when your starter spots his opponent that many runs. The presumptive #3 in a playoff rotation, figuring out what’s eating at Cole is necessary should the team still want him to start what could be a decisive Wild Card win-or-go-home game. Klapisch brings a couple possible causes to the current problem, and that’s what needs to be identified before anything can be fixed.
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: After taking two of three from the Mets, the Yankees control their own playoff destiny to a point. Their magic number is down to one, a win over the Twins on Monday or a Blue Jays loss to Detroit would send New York back to the postseason. While a division title is improbable, but not impossible, the first Wild Card slot seems all but ensured, giving the club home field in a best-of-three series.
New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: The Yankee bullpen has ranked amongst the best in baseball, but the eighth and ninth guys in your relief corps are always going to be borderline — see Hanner, Bradley. Clarke Schmidt, an established MLBer, has completed his rehab assignment returning from Tommy John surgery, and is set to be activated during this week’s series in Minnesota. Schmidt is likely a much better option to fill in one of those bullpen slots, boosting the floor of a squad that boasts a pretty high ceiling.
Gothamist | Catalina Gonella and Jill Webb: The South Bronx is dealing with a breakout of Legionnaires’ disease that has infected eight and killed one New Yorker, and the Yankee Stadium cooling tower appears to be one of the possible sources. Ten different towers have tested positive for Legionella bacteria, and the City has ordered all of them to be cleaned and sanitized by Monday morning. Hopefully this will be enough to quell this outbreak, and nobody else will be at risk of being sick.
The playoffs begin on Friday with Wigan topping the table, but the competition could be run by NRL from next season
As winds of change threaten to sweep through Super League off the field, there is an eery feeling of consistency on it as the business end of the season arrives. The prospect of a partnership with the National Rugby League looms closer, with the Australian governing body prepared to give clubs around £35m over five years in return for administrative control of Super League. The deal stalled throughout the summer, but the Guardian has been told it is now on the verge of approval after a meeting on Friday, with almost all clubs in favour.
The finer details are still to be worked out, but with enough clubs on side, the NRL will effectively take over running Super League from 2027 and attempt to drive forward the competition’s off-field prospects. And when it does get its feet under the table, it would be a major surprise if a familiar face is not sitting at the head of it.
Some have stepped to the fore during a period of uncertainty, while others appear to be struggling for form
Robinson started the first Test by taking three wickets in an over, started his final bowling innings by taking two in an over, and between showed extraordinary control and consistency. His skill has never been in doubt but his fitness and work ethic were, so much so that he made only one appearance in just under three years before the comeback this summer.
Andrew Painter’s path back to the Phillies was supposed to answer whether he could help their rotation down the stretch.
Nine starts into his second major league stint, he has done that — and created another question in the process.
If the Phillies get where they want to go in October, what is the best way to use him?
Painter has a 3.58 ERA and 1.15 WHIP since returning on July 31, holding opponents to a .690 OPS, the 11th-lowest mark among qualified starters over that span.
It has been a drastic turn from his first 14 major league outings, when he posted a 7.06 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and allowed a .901 OPS.
The stuff has changed, as have the results.
Painter spent time in the minors after being demoted in June, working on the shape of his four-seam fastball. The pitch has carried noticeably more ride since his return, averaging 18.2 inches of induced vertical break in one recent start after sitting much flatter earlier in the season.
Its velocity hasn’t gone anywhere, either. Painter has reached 99.6 mph with the four-seamer this season.
During his first stint, hitters missed on just over 10 percent of their swings against the fastball. Since his return, that number has climbed to just under 22 percent. The added ride makes it harder for hitters to get on top of the pitch, while his hard changeup gives him another offering that can come out of a similar tunnel before separating late.
It’s a much more complete repertoire than the one hitters faced earlier in the year.
The Phillies aren’t making October plans for Painter just yet. Don Mattingly made that clear when asked recently whether the rookie could eventually be deployed differently in the postseason.
“We don’t want to put the cart in front of the horse,” Mattingly said on Sunday.
He and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have more immediate business to handle with the Phillies still trying to secure a postseason spot and position themselves once they get there.
Still, Mattingly didn’t dismiss the possibility.
“I think we have to look at all options,” he said. “Try to put your best guys together.”
Painter isn’t attached to one, either.
“I trust what this organization wants,” Painter said. “I’m bought in on whatever they want, so if that’s something that’s gonna help the team win, I’m willing to do it.”
If the Phillies get there, there are a few ways that could look.
THE RANGER ROLE
The most intriguing possibility might be turning Painter into a gun for hire.
Stay ready. Don’t attach him to a particular inning or even necessarily a particular start. When an October game reaches the point where the Phillies need one of their best arms, use him.
They’ve done it before.
Ranger Suárez became exactly that type of weapon during the Phillies’ 2022 run. He started Game 3 of the NLCS, then returned two days later to record the final two outs of the pennant-clinching Game 5. In the World Series, Suárez recorded two critical outs in relief in Game 1 before coming back four days later to throw five scoreless innings as the Game 3 starter.
Painter could give the Phillies a right-handed version of that flexibility.
Maybe a starter runs into trouble in the fourth inning and they need someone capable of taking the game through the sixth. Maybe they have a lead and don’t trust the middle of the bullpen with the most dangerous part of an opposing lineup. Maybe Painter works two innings in one game and remains an option to start later in the series.
His improved fastball makes the shorter bursts particularly interesting.
Painter wouldn’t need to manage his workload for five or six innings or worry about seeing a lineup for a third time. He could be focused on just two or three outs.
Painter has already thought about what that could feel like.
“I’d be able to rear back a little bit and let it eat a little bit more,” he said. “I’m sure velo would tick up a little bit. We’ll just be able to empty the tank early.”
That is essentially the Ranger role — don’t worry about defining the job before the series. Have one of your better arms ready when the game tells you it needs him.
THE FOURTH STARTER
The simplest option remains letting Painter do what he’s doing now.
Start.
He wouldn’t enter a three-game Wild Card Series as one of the Phillies’ first three rotation options. But advancing out of that round creates an entirely different puzzle because rest, usage and the opponent suddenly matter more than a regular-season rotation order.
The Phillies have dealt with that before. In 2022, they considered leaving their No. 4 starter off the Wild Card roster altogether so he would remain available to start Game 1 of the NLDS if the Wild Card Series went the full three games.
Painter could find himself in a similar opening.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be the fourth game of a series. Depending on how many Wild Card games the Phillies play and which starters they use, their fourth arm could be needed almost immediately in the next round.
Matchup and familiarity could become part of the calculation, too.
Aaron Nola, who’s throwing the ball well right now as well, has years of postseason experience and would likely own the trust advantage if both pitchers were available on equal rest. But October pitching decisions aren’t always as simple as lining up a depth chart. How recently has an opponent seen Nola? How many times has it faced him? Has it seen Painter at all? Which repertoire provides the better matchup?
Painter’s second stint has at least made that a legitimate conversation.
If his next few starts continue on the same track — especially with sharper command — there may be no need to get particularly creative.
THE PIGGYBACK
There is a third possibility that falls somewhere between giving Painter his own start and waiting to deploy him as a Ranger-style stopper.
Build a game around two pitchers from the beginning.
The Phillies did exactly that last October against the Dodgers.
Facing elimination in Game 3 of the 2025 NLDS, they started Nola but never intended to treat it like a conventional start. Nola attacked the Dodgers as if he only needed to see them once, facing eight hitters across two scoreless innings before Suárez took over to begin the third.
Suárez handled the bulk from there, allowing one run over five innings in an 8-2 Phillies win.
It was a planned one-two punch rather than a reaction to a starter struggling.
The Phillies could create something similar with Painter.
Left-hander Nestor Cortes presents one possibility if he’s built up enough by October. The veteran left-hander is only beginning to stretch back out, pitching an inning Tuesday with Single-A Clearwater and another Saturday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Stylistically, the contrast would be difficult to miss. Cortes can disrupt timing with deception, angles and a completely different velocity band before handing the game to Painter’s upper-90s fastball and power changeup. The Phillies could also reverse them depending on the opposing lineup, allowing Painter to attack early before changing the look completely.
Nola could theoretically be part of a piggyback again, too. His current trajectory makes another intentionally abbreviated start less obvious than it was last October, when he entered that Dodgers game coming off an injury-riddled regular season. But the precedent is key.
They don’t have to make any of these decisions yet, though.
Painter still has two starts left in his regular-season rookie campaign. Cortes is still building up. The Phillies still have to earn their way into October before deciding how the pitching staff should look once they get there.
If they get there, they are no longer wondering whether Andrew Painter can help them.
While Mitch Marsh cannot wait for the hostilities to resume against South Africa later this month, an ODI series against Zimbabwe beginning tomorrow night is crucial for an Australian team seeking to find its identity.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you’re wondering why this season feels different, it’s because it is.
Jazz fans are entering territory they haven’t been in ever before. What territory am I talking about? I’m talking about the potential we have with Darryn Peterson. I’ve been spending the last few months since the draft and summer league trying to grasp what this season will look like. It’s been difficult because it’s got some incredible potential. The worst case for this team, outside of injury, is that they’re a play-in team. To me, that’s the floor for this team, and I don’t think that’s very debatable. The amount of talent alone on the Jazz is enough to compete night after night. If they’re well coached, which I think they will be, they should have a .500 record.
It’s the best-case scenario that’s hard for me to grasp. Darryn Peterson has a chance to take this team to incredible levels. Now, it’s important to remember that even the best rookies have an adjustment period and struggle in their rookie seasons. Even LeBron James had some struggles to start his career. Although James averaged 39 minutes per game in his rookie year, which is pretty wild considering how many minutes players play in today’s game.
But speaking of LeBron James, there was no question whether James should start in his debut with the Cavaliers. In his first regular-season game, he had a stat line of 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. Oh, and that was in 42:50. That season, the Cavs went 33-46, but the Cavaliers knew they had a special player on their hands right away.
In Utah, it seems like there are fans who wonder whether Darryn Peterson should start. Maybe that’s because of the Jazz’s history of deciding that arbitrary, unspoken rules mattered more than building toward contention. Deron Williams, a player the Jazz traded up to #3 in the lottery for, was forced to come off the bench for Keith McLeod. No offense to Keith McLeod, but he averaged 5.5 points in his career while shooting 35.7% from the field. Starting McLeod over Deron Williams was a ridiculous decision and contributed to future divisiveness between Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan. What makes that even more idiotic was how good Deron Williams became, and that coming off the bench proved to only keep him from flourishing sooner.
I personally don’t think that will happen with the Jazz, at least I hope not. The reason? Utah’s new Darryn has the chance to be incredibly special. And even though the Jazz have a team filled with talent ready to go, some of them former all-stars, Peterson could already be the Jazz’s best player. Yes, he might be the best player right now. What’s crazy about Peterson is how complete a player he already is. You name it, he’s doing it, and doing it well. Shooting? He was the primary option on a Kansas team without a lot of shooting around him. His usage rate was high, and he managed to shoot 38% from three for the season, and that was while battling injuries, cramping, and a coach who let him take the blame for everything from the media. That shooting is even more impressive when you consider that it was the biggest question for him going into Kansas. In High School, he was a playmaking guard who electrified with his ability to literally do it all. And that’s the new question for Peterson. Even though he showed it in High School, the question has been why was his assists/turnover ratio in college not good? Well, he may have already answered that with a 12-assist game in summer league when he was on the floor with NBA-caliber talent in Ace Bailey and Cody Williams. What happens when he is surrounded by Ace Bailey AND Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr.? Something tells me that playmaking is going to look better. It’s also not just offense where Peterson shines, he’s also a plus defender who averaged 2 SPG at Kansas. The only weakness you can really point to is a lack of experience, which will be fixed as soon as he gets on the floor.
What I’m trying to say is that Peterson has a chance to take this team to new heights. It may not happen this year, although I won’t be surprised if it does, but this season will show us just how far this Jazz team can go. If Darryn Peterson reaches his apex potential, Utah may not just be in new territory with a top pick in the draft, but do something it hasn’t done before, win a title.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 9: Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on September 9, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All three of Burnes, Gallen, and Soroka returned from the IL this week. Which do you expect to have the biggest positive impact on the team?
James Attwood: Probably Soroka. Burnes is still pitch-limited and is still looking for the feel and timing on his breaking pitches, especially the curve. Gallen has had a rough go of things for two years now. Soroka has at least been mostly good when healthy. If he can get stretched back out to 80 pitches and if he can find most of his form from earlier this season, he could help the team save the bullpen somewhat during the run-in to October.
Spencer: Burnes and it isn’t close. I think having Gallen “start” is telling of how they’ll be used. I think that deflates both Gallen and Soroka’s value. Plus we need Burnes or it’s over for this entire window. That might need to wait for 2027*, but it’d be nice to see it this year too.
Makakilo: My view is Soroka will have the biggest positive impact. Looking at their first games back, Sokoka had the best FIP and best expected statistics (xOBP allowed and xSLG allowed). My view is Burnes will have the second biggest positive impact.
Justin: I think Soroka will, but I want Burnes to. I don’t want to be a pessimist, but Burnes hasn’t pitched in essentially over a year. Other than whatever rehab stints or bullpens he has done.
Ben: I lean towards Soroka because he can either start or work as a longman out of the bullpen. My faith in Gallen has been thoroughly destroyed where I worry about how effective he can truly be in the rotation. And while Burnes looked pretty good in his first start, I worry that he’ll be on such a strict pitch count that his impact will be limited as well. So by default, I think the guy who was an excellent number-two in the rotation behind Eduardo Rodriguez should be a huge impact player down the stretch.
Justin Martinez seems to be rounding in to form nicely. Is there a way for him to force himself into high leverage innings before April of next year?
James Attwood: If the team makes it to the playoffs, he may well be in high leverage in October. It seems quite likely that, should everyone remain healthy and should there be a season in 2027, Martinez may enter April penciled in as the team’s closer.
Spencer: Probably but I’d be hesitant. Let him just have success without adding extra stress. He and Nelson (when back) would be my top choices for high leverage innings should one of the current group falter.
Makakilo: Pitching decisions will likely be decided on by game situations and data about batter/pitcher matchups. A few weeks may not be enough time to significantly change the data.
Justin: I want to make a smartass comment about baseball not being played in April, but….
I would go into ST with a competition for the closer role, but J. Mart has a leg up on everyone else. Please no signings of the next Brad Boxberger or Fernando Rodney.
Ben: He’s looked great in his first few games back, but it’ll be tough for him to force his way into those leverage positions while the team has an embarrassment of riches in the bullpen with Taylor Clarke, Kevin Ginkel, Juan Morillo, Brandyn Garcia, and Jonathan Loaisiga all providing tremendous value. Unless one of those pitchers falters, I suspect the team will slow roll Martinez back into the fold rather than throwing him right back into the high leverage role he clearly can occupy.
What’s your best prediction for the three NL Wild Card teams? Bonus points for how many wins the team on the outside looking in will have
James Attwood: Let’s get a bit optimistic. I could see the Padres being the one left without a seat. They might finish with 87 wins and still be on the outside looking in.
Spencer: I expect Chicago takes the top spot. Philly and AZ tie for the second and third with 86 wins. Padres will be first out with 85.
Makakilo: Predict Cubs, Phillies, and Dbacks. Predict the team on the outside will have 88 wins.
Justin: Unfortunately, I think it will be the Phillies, Padres and Cubs. We finish with 86 wins. I do think it is very possible that the final series against the Padres will be essentially a playoff series, though. In the preseason wins prediction article, I had the team at 84 wins. Blake 92 and Wes at 95 as the high water marks, with the low win total being 79 by Spencer and DBE. The average was 84.2 wins.
Ben: I think the three current holders (Phillies, Cubs, Padres) are the most likely finalists unfortunately. The race for the third spot will almost assuredly come down to that final series between the Padres and the D-Backs unless the Padres somehow stumble down the stretch or the D-Backs go on a huge run. Between now and then, the D-Backs face off against the Marlins, Rockies, and Yankees while the Padres go against the Rockies, Marlins, and Dodgers. So we’ll all become Dodgers fans for a couple days and hope they don’t have everything sewn up already by that point and roll over to San Diego.
Justin Martinez threw the second immaculate inning this season for the Diamondbacks. What’s the coolest moment in Diamondbacks history you’ve seen in person?
James Attwood: Way too many fun experiences over the years. With over 25 years of attending games, I have been to over a thousand of them. One moment that does really stick out to me is a VERY OLD memory. Micah Owings was just coming onto the scene as a pitcher with pop in his bat. Owings, a pitcher at the time, was tabbed to enter the game as a pinch hitter. The opposition actually made a pitching change to help the team face off against a pinch-hitting pitcher. It didn’t matter. Owings went deep and had the entire stadium laughing at and jeering the opposition manager.
Spencer: I don’t live in Phoenix so my in person Diamondbacks options are slim to say the least. Home opener 2019 was cool. As a kid I was at the game where Mark Grace had to pitch. Does that qualify as cool?
[Ed. note] Yes, yes it does
Makakilo: In 2017, I was at an exciting game in person. The following quote is from my article that posted on 1 December 2017.
“First let’s set the scene. It’s the Wild Card elimination game against the Rockies, bottom of the seventh inning. The D-backs have a 1-run lead. The two teams have scored 11 runs so far; the game is too close to call. An outstanding pitcher, Pat Neshek is on the mound. His statistics are impressive! (2017 regular season ERA of 1.12 with Phillies and 2.45 with Rockies. 2014-15 post-season ERA of 2.08.)”
“Lovullo makes a bold move by not pinch hitting for Bradley. Archie Bradley walks to the plate with two outs and men on first and second. He works the count to 2 balls and 2 strikes. The crowd is extremely loud. He spits out a sunflower husk. He hits that next pitch into the outfield gap and the ball bounces to the wall. Cheering is felt more than heard. The third base coach windmills wildly as Lamb and Descalso race home. Archie Bradley rounds second base with long strides and slides into third base with a triple.”
Justin: In terms of being physically at Chase Field, I saw Andy Green’s first MLB home run. I know he was just a cup of coffee AAAA player, but I still think that is kind of neat.
Most uncool moment was Rusty Ryal hitting a comebacker and knocked out Hiroki Koroda. He had to be stretchered off.
On TV, I watched Edwin Jackson’s no hitter, JD Martinez’ 4 homer game and others.
One of the Snakepitfests just happened to be the game that the Dbacks retired Gonzo’s number. IIRC, it was already preplanned that we would have the Snakepitfest on whatever date it was and it was a great coincidence that the team announced it would be the day they retired Gonzo’s jersey. Chris Young hit a walk off home run to win it….after Aaron Heilman blew a save allowing 2 home runs in the top of the 9th.
Ben: I haven’t been privileged enough to see that many moments in-person, but watching the no-hitter from Tyler Gilbert back in 2021 during his first major league start was an extremely cool moment. But I could also pick out basically any single moment from that 2023 postseason run as well.
A league-backed investigation that spanned 11 months concluded the Clippers circumvented the salary cap with its alleged facilitation of "no-show" endorsement deals for Kawhi Leonard, their former star forward.
In his statement, Ballmer said the Clippers will not pursue any legal action against the league.
"This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets," Ballmer's statement read. "I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner.
"We are committing to put this chapter behind us. We have communicated to the NBA that we are complying with the penalties assessed by the league, have paid the fine, and are moving forward."
Following the conclusion of its investigation, the NBA announced that the Clippers would lose five future first-round draft picks and a $30 million fine. Ballmer, along with team executives, also received a suspension.
Ballmer and Lawrence Frank, the team's president of basketball operations, had continuously expressed their innocence publicly during this past season.
Leonard's status with the Clippers remains unclear for the upcoming season. He's expected to be traded by Los Angeles to the Toronto Raptors in a deal that was put on hold pending the results of the NBA investigation.
Logan Webb (61) tosses a new ball as Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) rounds the bases on Manny Machado's (13) two-run home run in the second inning as the San Francisco Giants payed the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Franciisco, on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
You’ve watched baseball long enough to know an inherent truth: stars cannot save you. This is not football, where having one of the best quarterbacks alive can gift you a .500 season as the starting point. It’s certainly not basketball, where having one of best players is synonymous with having one of the best teams.
You watched Barry Bonds break the single-season home record for a team that still missed the playoffs. You watched Tim Lincecum win a Cy Young on a team that finished 18 games below .500.
And if you thinks this is just a San Francisco Giants thing, well, it’s not. The Los Angeles Angels employed Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani for six straight seasons, and won exactly zero postseason games. While Ohtani has left and found greener pastures, Trout has put together one of the greatest careers in MLB history and, more than 17 years since the day he heard his name called at the draft, is still in desperate search of his first playoff win. Not a series win; a game. Nine measly innings.
So yes. Stars very much cannot save you.
But an absence of stars will kill you, swiftly and emphatically. This is a newts and salamanders situation: not all stars play for good teams, but all good teams have stars. Plural.
The Giants entered the season with two stars, one on each side of the ball: Logan Webb and Rafael Devers. And while those two were far from the only reason that the season started as sideways as a 2004 Paul Giamatti film, you can at least draw something of a line connecting the team’s record after six weeks (14-23) to Webb’s ERA (5.06) and Devers’ OPS (.593).
Those two eventually course-corrected to varying levels. Webb mixed enough good in with the bad to make his third-straight All-Star appearance, while Devers turned the calendar in a hurry and, since the start of May, has been third in both OPS and wRC+, behind only presumptive MVPs Pete Crow-Armstrong and Yordan Alvarez.
The Giants, of course, did no such course correcting, reminding us once again of today’s lesson: stars cannot save you.
We spent much of the summer watching Devers smash home run after home run and remembering that lesson. But occasionally that aforementioned corollary — an absence of stars will kill you — would rear its head.
On Sunday, in a 6-4 loss that resulted in a sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres, the Giants were reminded of that corollary. It was a starless Sunday at Oracle Park, unless you were one of the fans sitting in the bleachers watching the first Sunday of the NFL season, instead.
The Giants found themselves emphatically starless. Webb was pitching, yes, but just two starts removed from the worst outing of his career, and leaking oil in a big way. He didn’t look himself. He didn’t look the part of an ace or a star.
And Devers? Shortly before the game began, the Giants announced that he had been placed on the 60-Day Injured List with a core muscle injury, ending his season.
One star who, for now, is not a star. One star who, for now, is not healthy. It’s a good recipe for a forgettable baseball loss.
As if to hammer home this point, the Peacock broadcast displayed the Giants nine-player lineup next to the team they played for when the season began. Just two of the players (Jung Hoo Lee and Christian Koss) were on the Giants. Just one other (Brett Harris) was on a different team’s MLB roster. Despite that, just two (Bryce Eldridge and Drew Gilbert) began the season for the Giants’ AAA affiliate. Two more (Shay Whitcomb and Andrew Knizner) were on different teams’ AAA affiliates. And finally, two more (Jonah Cox and the debuting Scott Bandura) had opened the season for San Francisco’s AA team.
Just for good measure, the Giants turned to three players off of their bench: one more (Osleivis Basabe) who started the year in AAA, and two more who began the season down in AA (Drew Cavanaugh and Turner Hill). When Webb’s night was over, he was replaced by Matt Wilkinson, whose first appearance of the season was his AA debut. He handed things over to the third and final pitcher, Trent Harris, who began the season in AAA.
A distinct lack of stars, especially when it became apparent that Webb was all too hittable on this night. He loaded the bases before recording an out, ceding back-to-back singles to open the game, and following them up with an uncompetitive double. An unproductive out was only temporary respite before Jackson Merrill smacked a two-run double.
It was not just a first inning thing, as we’ve sometimes seen from Webb. A Samad Taylor leadoff single and steal put the Giants leader in trouble immediately to start the second, and Taylor would later score on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr., who would later score on a home run by Manny Machado.
And with that, it was clear what kind of a night it would be.
Webb would mostly settle in after that, but the damage was done. He’d give up just one more rally, when Ethan Salas cracked a triple (his first career hit) in the fourth inning, and scored on another Tatis single.
If you’re looking for a silver lining, Webb’s strikeouts returned for this game, as he whiffed seven batters, while walking just one. But it’s hard to search too hard for a silver lining given the eight hits and six runs in five innings. Really, the silver lining came from what happened after Webb left: Wilkinson allowed just one hit in three shutout innings, while Harris pitched a perfect ninth.
The offense, tasked with undoing a large early deficit without Devers, tried, but fell short. Knizner made it clear that there would be fight, when he blasted a two-run homer in the second inning to give the team life.
But an opportunity was squandered in the fourth, when Eldridge led off with a single and Cox followed with his greatest weapon: the bunt single. Bandura, in just his second career at-bat, struck out, before Whitcomb blooped a single to load the bases.
The situational opportunities still haunt the Giants, though, as Knizner hit a fly ball that wasn’t deep enough to score Eldridge, before the inning ended on a Harris fly ball.
They would chip away an inning later, though. San Diego turned to a lefty reliever for the fifth inning, and Koss led off with a single and a stolen base, before Gilbert worked an impressive same-handed walk. A double steal put the Giants in position for a big inning, but they could only get one run out of it, after Lee had an unproductive out and Eldridge ground into an RBI fielder’s choice.
They chipped away an inning later, and this time it was in memory-making fashion: Bandura, who became the franchise record-setting 67th player to appear in a game for the Giants this year, led off the inning with a single, his first career hit, which he celebrated by taking second on an error. He would later score the first run of his career, when Koss brought him home with a clutch two-out single.
But just as the Giants have grown accustomed to poor situational hitting, they’ve grown accustomed to bizarre plays on the field, and Koss had a new one for us: with Koss at first and Cavanaugh at second, Basabe ground into what figured to be an inning-ending out. Xander Bogaerts, however, tried to get the out the short way, and threw to second too late. Koss, not anticipating this, ran right through the bag; rather than an infield single, the Padres had Koss — and then, after pivoting 90 degrees, Cavanaugh — in an easy backyard pickle.
Once the shenanigans arrive, you know the game is over. And it was. The Giants tried again in the eighth, when Bandura drew a leadoff walk and Hill worked a two-out walk. They tried again in the ninth, when Eldridge bopped a two-out single, and Cox worked 10 pitches out of Yuki Matsui.
But on the 10th, he struck out swinging, and the game was over.
All credit to the kids. They’re fun. And they’re making memories.
SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 04: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres looks on prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Friday, September 4, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
During his time as the control partner of the San Diego Padres, the late Peter Seidler was aggressive with spending money to build a core of players for the team he loved. Signing Manny Machado to a long-term contract and then extending him when he had an opt-out option, Seidler committed a total of $470 million to Machado for his contract covering 2019 through 2033.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth added to core
When Seidler and general manager A.J. Preller recognized the exciting talent of the Padres’ young shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr., they negotiated a 14-year contract extension that committed him to the Padres through 2034 and pays $340 million.
Infielder Jake Cronenworth, the Padres defensive specialist at multiple positions, was given a much smaller contract at seven years and $80 million to anchor the infield while being able to play all four infield spots. Cronenworth’s contract presently looks to be a bargain for a player that will never be a superstar but is steady and reliable while playing excellent defense at multiple spots.
The team will likely believe that all of those contracts were justified in the long run. Even Machado, who is on a Hall-of-Fame career track, was a defensible decision based on his contract being the one that established the organization as being serious about contending and his standing as the team’s leader on and off the field.
Xander Bogaerts’ addition is a puzzle
The head scratcher, the player signed to a contract that seemed a massive overpay at the time and even more so now, is shortstop Xander Bogaerts. There is no denying he was a superstar in his time with the Boston Red Sox, earning multiple World Series championships. When his contract ended with Boston, the Padres outbid everyone else in the running. The Red Sox infamously offered Bogaerts a 4-year, $90 million contract, then upped it to six years and $160 million. The Cubs were rumored to have offered him a multi-year, $200 million contract.
The Padres blew all those offers out of the water, signing Bogaerts, 30-years-old at the time, to an 11-year, $280 million deal that carried through the 2033 season, when Bogaerts will be 41 years old.
It was a puzzling decision by Seidler and the Padres. They already had multiple shortstops on the roster with Tatis being a blooming superstar. In his first year with the Padres, Bogaerts hit a respectable .285/.350/.440 with 19 home runs and 58 RBI. That 2023 season was his best as a Padre.
Offensive struggles
Since the 2023 season, Bogaerts has declined offensively each year. Some of that can be attributed to injuries, with a broken shoulder and broken foot affecting his 2024 and 2025 seasons.
So far in 2026, Xander Bogaerts has been relatively healthy. With a hamstring scare and a ball fouled off his foot in August, Bogaerts left those games but was never held from a game or placed on the injured list. Despite having no significant injury this season, Bogaerts is having his worst season as an MLB player. At 33-years-old, Bogaerts is at the back end of his peak production as a professional player. A players’ peak years are considered to be between the age of 27 and 32 with production tailing significantly after that age.
With seven years remaining on his contract, Bogaerts is in the declining years of his career. With a look at his stats, it appears his hitting is the first to go.
Bogaerts started the season strong in 2026. In April, he hit .292/.382/.472 with five home runs and 15 RBI. He had a good spring, hitting .286 with a .819 OPS, so his strong start was very encouraging. Unfortunately, May brought expectations back down to earth. Hitting .204 in May and .211 in June, Bogaerts managed just six extra-base hits in 51 games.
July was even worse, hitting .167 with a .523 OPS in 24 games. In 27 games in August, Bogaerts hit .212 with a .674 OPS, with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBI.
For September’s 10 games, Bogaerts is pushing his numbers up as the team is making a playoff push. Hitting .314/.415/.371 with a .786 OPS, Bogaerts is following a trend in his career of improving his numbers during the last month of the season.
Strong defense
If there is one silver lining to the Bogaerts situation, it is his defense at shortstop. After switching him to second base for 85 games in 2024 to accommodate Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop, Bogaerts has been their primary shortstop. From 2023 through this season, Bogaerts has been in the 80th percentile or above in Outs Above Average as a shortstop. In 2025, he finished in the 93rd percentile with seven OAA. He has improved his arm strength during his time with the Padres, even though it continues to be below average.
It seems unlikely that a drastic improvement in his offense will occur at this point in his career. Bogaerts, an admired leader on the team, will need to work over the next offseason to evaluate what needs to change. Looking at his Baseball Savant page, Bogaerts has not lost bat speed or exit velocity over his time with the Padres. He does not strike out more or chase more than in past years. At best, his stats portray an average to below-average major league hitter. That is borne out in his status as the No. 8 hitter in the Padres lineup, a spot unfamiliar to a player with Bogaerts’ past pedigree.
Machado made swing changes this past offseason in order to improve his bat speed and exit velocity, he has not recovered from the slump those changes threw him into. He is also having the worst year of his career in batting average numbers. Machado is still the best power hitter on the team and leads in RBI, but players need to show caution when reworking their swings as they age.
Bogaerts can still be a valuable player for the Padres if he can improve his offense to average. His underlying numbers indicate he still can do that. Bogaerts will have to make the adjustments all aging players must make.
It is too late to live up to the contract he signed. Both Bogaerts and Machado will long be done as players before the Padres stop paying them. What Bogaerts needs to focus on is adjusting his game so he can be a contributor for as long as possible.
