NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox reacts in the fourth inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox and Yankees met in the postseason in consecutive years in the Wild Card round – both won by New York.
The clubs had not met in consecutive postseasons since their pair of classics in the 2003 and 2004 ALCS. My how things have changed since those incredible back-to-back October clashes.
The rivalry climaxed in those years. Despite the intrigue of another round of consecutive meetings in Oct… actually September, Boston and New York are in a far lesser realm of the rivalry, one where mediocrity limits its potential.
While the Bleacher Creatures have every right to give it to Red Sox Nation for back-to-back flight stamps to Cancun, the Yankees have done nothing with either momentum boost from defeating their rivals over the past two years. In the ALDS in each of the last two seasons, New York went out with a whimper at the hands of the American League East champions – the Blue Jays in 2025 and the Rays in 2026.
What happened to the era where the Red Sox and Yankees sent star after star into battle for marathons that defined generations? The truth is we’ll never be at the level of 2003 and 2004 between these teams again, but can we raise the standard just a little bit?
Both teams have a handful of big names that sometimes distract from flawed rosters that can otherwise barely qualify for the postseason and that’s about it. The Red Sox have averaged just 88 wins over the last two years. Dating back to the 2024 World Series, New York is just 2-10 in its last 12 playoff games against non-Boston clubs and have been eliminated at Yankee Stadium in four consecutive playoff exits since 2022.
Weren’t these the teams that spent the majority of the first quarter of the 21st century fighting for division titles? Weren’t these the teams that met in October 2018 each having won 100 games in the regular season?
The rivalry is calmer. The stakes are lower. The results fall short and it’s a sad state of a fierce rivalry that once defined the sport. These teams have lacked an all-in approach and frankly it’s starting to show in a major way – both against each other and in their own respective championship aspirations.
Heading into an offseason with uncertainty swirling around the sport as a whole, can the Red Sox and Yankees each take legitimate actions for a stern reestablishment as bonafide contenders?
Doubtful.
Red Sox brass in the end-of-season press conference appeared committed to the young core that’s taken strides in recent regular seasons before bowing out with remarkably disappointing showings in the playoffs. In the Bronx, retaining general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone seems likely, keeping the status quo for a Yankees team that has failed to get over the hump in the Aaron Judge era and still remains without a championship since 2009.
The Red Sox and Yankees will still pack stadiums and draw ratings whenever they meet, but this stage of the rivalry is a large, unquestionable disappointment. Here’s to that changing sooner rather than later…
SAN FRANCISCO – Day 12 of the Kristaps Porziņģis Watch passed Friday without a sighting from the Warriors. There is an update of sorts, as director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini made contract with the team’s projected starting center.
“Rick spoke with him (Thursday),” coach Steve Kerr said after a light practice.
Meanwhile, the Porziņģis conundrum continues to leave a considerable gap in the roster. During the best of times with Golden State last season, there were days when KP could fill the void and days when Kerr and his staff were forced to turn to an alternate plan.
Plan B was a concession then, and it’s only slightly better now that Plans C, D, E and F have been added to the roster.
When I asked Kerr if he knew how his big-man rotation would look, the coach acknowledged that with the regular-season opener 12 days away, it remains a work in progress.
“We haven’t figured it out,” he said.
There are five options. Plan B is veteran Al Horford, who won’t be available for back-to-back sets and hasn’t been for four years. Plan C is veteran Draymond Green, whose nights at center continue to exist despite a desire to minimize them. Plan D is Charles Bassey, who played five games after being added late last season. Plan E is rookie Graham Ike, holding a two-way contract. Plan F is promising rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who already looks like a utility man out of necessity.
“Both Graham and Charles were really impressive the other night, getting good reps in camp, and we’re going to need both of them during the year,” Kerr said. “And then if Kristaps isn’t here, the question would be: Do we start big with Al or Charles? Or do we start Draymond at the 5 and Yaxel at the four, maybe Gui (Santos at small forward) to give us some size and playmaking.”
At issue is Kerr’s commitment to bring the offense in line with the current NBA. He wants to play 5-out, meaning five perimeter-shooting threats that can be spaced around the 3-point arc. Porziņģis is one of the best 3-point shooters among centers in the league. He’s ideal, and his presence was a factor in Kerr’s decision to alter the offense.
Without KP, it’s an automatic downgrade. Horford’s 3-ball is solid, but at age 40 his minutes will be limited. Green’s 3-ball is solid from the corners, but opponents still sag on defense. Bassey is 3-of-13 from deep in 126 NBA games. Ike shot 34.8 percent in college but averaged less than one attempt from deep per game.
Lendeborg shot 36.4 percent on 286 attempts in his final three college seasons – but made significant improvements each year, from 33.3 percent to 35.7 to 37.2.
Despite being penciled in at forward, Yaxel’s size (6-foot-10, 241 pounds) and feel for the game might move him up from Plan F all the way to Plan B. Or at power forward to provide physical support for Green.
“With the fact that we have Yaxel now, you’d get a 6-10 guy next to (Green),” Kerr said. “If we go that route, it makes it a little more palatable. And if we pair them with Gui (6-foot-8), now all of a sudden, you got three good-sized guys at their positions, and it doesn’t feel as small as in the past couple years.
“But it’s not ideal.”
Any of those combinations would make it “definitely” harder to play a 5-out offense, Kerr conceded, adding that it would be too difficult to juggle offensive schemes based on personnel.
The upshot is that the offense designed around having a stretch 5 will remain in place despite the uncertainty of Porziņģis, who for spacing reasons might be the second-most important component behind Stephen Curry.
What the Warriors have, on paper, is an aging but high-quality squad.
What they’ll have beginning Oct. 21 won’t include Jimmy Butler III or Moses Moody, both expected to miss much, if not most, of the season as both recover from surgical knee repairs.
And it’s at least conceivable that it won’t include Porziņģis, whose “health issue” has not been clarified but has sidelined him for almost two weeks. Until he reemerges to join his teammates, the Warriors have no choice but to immerse themselves in alternate plans.
Beginning the regular season at 2-2 is not catastrophic for the Buffalo Sabres, but the club is showing some similar traits to teams of recent past that did not achieve success. Through four games, the Sabres have played spotty inconsistent hockey, have not received strong goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and have been woeful with the man advantage.
In the 4-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, Buffalo was 0 for 3 on the power play, and so far this season, they are the only club in the NHL who does not have a goal with the man advantage (0 for 13). This is not shocking, because the Sabres have traditionally been weak on the power play, in spite of having top offensive performers in Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson.
Three years ago, Buffalo had a 16.6% effective rate on the power play (29th overall), two years ago, it was 18.8% (24th overall), and last season it was 19.5% (21st overall). In their first year under Lindy Ruff, the Sabres went 0 for 22 on the man advantage. This season, the group has started 0 for 13, and Ruff has already tinkered with the personnel on the first power play group, subbing in Noah Ostlund for Josh Doan, but they to this point have had no success.
"We obviously made some changes. We had a couple of great opportunities. I mean, our first power play wasn't any good. I'm not going to try to disguise that. Our second one, we had Benson all alone in front of the net, and you get a couple whacks. You got to put that in the back of the net. (Thompson) had one right in the slot that, normally, he finds a hole." Ruff said. "I think (we're) squeezing the sticks a little bit. We had some guys that abnormally didn't handle a puck very well, and that really hurt us."
Buffalo are 2-1 on their five-game homestand, and take on the offensively gifted Utah Mammoth on Saturday and the Florida Panthers on a Columbus Day matinee.
The star 76ers center has found himself in the middle of a maelstrom before the new NBA season even kicks off, with Knicks’ play-by-play announced Mike Breen reporting — and then walking back — that Embiid was chastised by LeBron James for being late to practice.
“Those type of things, I can’t understand,” Embiid told reporters after his preseason debut against the Nets on Thursday. “One, it is not true, but then again, it’s like, ‘Why me?’ … I guess I’m Joel Embiid. I’ve been in that situation. I don’t usually talk when it comes to those [rumors]. So, it feels like I’m an easy target.”
Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during practice on October 3, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center. NBAE via Getty Images
Breen, on the broadcast of the Knicks-76ers preseason game on Monday, recounted a story he was told of the 2023 NBA MVP showing up a “couple of minutes late” to practice and that James “let him hear it.”
“I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly,” the veteran broadcaster told ESPN. “For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless. In hindsight, I should have realized the fact that it was Joel is what made it a story. I’ve always been a huge fan of Joel and feel awful that it put the focus on him the way that it did.”
Mike Breen and Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers talk before the game against the New York Knicks on October 5, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
It should be a telling season for Embiid, an endless target of media and fan scrutiny for his play and health issues. He now has offseason additions James and Jaylen Brown with him on the Philly roster alongside emerging star Tyrese Maxey with heightened championship expectations.
The 32-year-old might have some big names to help shoulder the load, but may never fully escape the criticism.
“It sucks, but what can you do? It’s unfortunate,” he said of Breen’s ill-fated anecdote. “I don’t know where that came from. It never happened. … I think we just got to focus on ourselves. There’s going to be a lot of outside noise to pull us apart from what we’re supposed to be and what we’re supposed to accomplish. So, it’s important that we stay together and we keep our [head] down.”
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox had two chances to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time in more than a century.
Now they have one chance to avoid a frustrating end to a surprising season.
The White Sox are going to a winner-take-all finale in their AL Division Series against Cleveland after a pair of disappointing defeats. Their bullpen is staggering after a 9-5 loss, and their hitters struck out 31 times over the last two games.
Game 5 is back in Cleveland, with the winner advancing to the American League Championship Series against Tampa Bay.
“Of course it’s a little disappointing,” All-Star outfielder Tristan Peters said, “but if we keep thinking that way we’re going to take that into Saturday, and then it’s not going to end well. I’m just telling myself, and I think everybody else is, too, that we’re not done. This isn’t done.”
Chicago earned an AL wild card by going 84-78 this season. It became the first team in MLB history to reach the playoffs after losing 100-plus games each of the previous two years.
Then, with manager Will Venable making all the right moves, the White Sox swept AL West champion Houston in their Wild Card Series before winning the first two ALDS games in Cleveland. It was the first 4-0 postseason start in franchise history — and all four wins came on the road.
That gave the White Sox a great opportunity to wrap up a postseason series at home for the first time since the 1906 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. But they flopped.
“Certainly, that’s something that we wanted to give our fans,” Venable said. “I think we just want to win this series however possible, and wherever that is, we’ll take it.”
Venable has leaned heavily on his bullpen out of necessity. But it looks as though that’s catching up to Chicago.
Erick Fedde heard chants of “Fed-de! Fed-de!” from the crowd of 39,920 after he replaced opener Hagen Smith in the first inning of Game 4 and pitched shutout ball into the fifth. But he was pulled after pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey launched a leadoff homer and Steven Kwan singled with one out.
Jordan Hicks came in and allowed a two-run homer to José Ramírez that gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead. Anthony Kay got one out in the sixth and was charged with two runs, and Grant Taylor yielded four runs and four hits without retiring any of the six batters he faced.
“They’re making really good swing decisions,” Venable said. “They’re making contact. We talked about how good a job they do of doing that. When you walk guys, they make you pay.”
Taylor, Kay, Smith and Bryan Hudson have pitched in three of the four games in the series. The 24-year-old Taylor tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings over the first two games of the ALDS.
“I don’t think it plays any role that I’ve thrown more this series,” Taylor said. “It truly was just execution. I walked two guys, and they put the ball in play.”
Taylor threw 18 pitches, eight for strikes. He promised he would be ready for Game 5 if needed.
“I’m going to be available for anything,” he said. “If they want me to go nine, then go for it. I’m going to do everything in the next couple days to be ready to go.”
Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Chris Woodward (84) gestures from the field during a Major League Baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2026. (Photo by Peter Zhan/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
As you might have noticed, the two division series in the National League ended Wednesday night. The 103 win Milwaukee Brewers and the 100 win Los Angeles Dodgers — the two teams with the best records in MLB, and the top two seeds in the National League — each finished off their opponents in four games. So much for the “you don’t want a bye because you get rusty” theory.
The Dodgers are trying to make it to the World Series for the third year in a row. The Brewers are trying to make it to the World Series for the second time in their history.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 17: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 17, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is no doubt that Donovan Mitchell is amongst the handful of the NBA’s best players. He can score in waves, at all three levels, and put the team on his back when it matters most. His superstardom is what drives the Cleveland Cavaliers’ relentless organizational pursuit of a championship. They have pushed all of their chips in, a few times over now, to put themselves in the best possible position to win right now.
We know Mitchell, assuming he remains healthy, will be a dominant force in the regular season. His four years in the Wine and Gold have been superb, with four trips to the All-Star Game and three All-NBA nominations.
But as great as he is, there is one more evolution for Mitchell — to be the best player on a championship team.
It may not have felt like it last season, but the Cavs were four wins away from the NBA Finals. They blew Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in historic fashion, a blame that Mitchell puts on himself. A better version of Mitchell doesn’t allow Cleveland to wither on the vine the way they did. The long and short of Mitchell this upcoming season is how he plays in the postseason, on the biggest stage, against the greatest stars — and he will have the opportunity to showcase it.
Mitchell will get a full season next to James Harden, who takes the pressure off in a way that Darius Garland never really did. Harden’s impact on Jarrett Allen has already been discussed, but his ability to take pressure off of Mitchell as a scorer and facilitator should be better than it was last year. That relationship goes both ways, as Mitchell’s ability as a passer is paramount to making the Cavs’ offense as lethal as possible. There are plenty of shooters around him, and therefore assists abound.
No matter what, Mitchell will get his stats. He averaged 27.9 points per game last season on 48.3% shooting, while hitting 36.4% of his threes. His efficiency as a member of the Cavaliers has always been solid, and that should continue even in his age-30 season.
The elephant in the room is the playoff performances, and that goes for the Cavs as a whole. Mitchell’s numbers take a hit when the lights are the brightest, particularly his shooting efficiency and turnover rate. There is a passivity to his game that escapes onto the court, something that has perplexed the fan base.
Going back to that collapse in Game 1 of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, Mitchell only attempted six shots in the fourth quarter and overtime — making just one of them. That made shot came with over eight minutes left in the final frame.
There should be plenty of confidence that Mitchell will have a great regular season, an All-Star caliber effort that reminds people why he is one of the league’s best. But his judgment will be made in the playoffs, for better or worse. That is what comes with being a great player, and it is up to Mitchell to change the narrative of not only himself, but this franchise as a whole.
Boston Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis reacts on the floor during the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on May 16, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr delivered an ominous update on Porziņģis’ status when speaking to the media on Thursday.
“He’s not here uh today,” Kerr said of Porziņģis. He later added, “I’ll reach out to to KP today and and check in with him, but nothing new to report.”
Porziņģis was diagnosed as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) in 2025. This current absence hasn’t been confirmed as a byproduct of POTS, but that seems to be the prevailing belief.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr calls out instructions to his team during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Portland, Ore. AP Photo/Ali Gradischer
Kerr was also asked whether he has been in communication with Porziņģis this offseason and whether he knows how he’s doing and said, “Yeah, we’ve texted. Seems to be doing okay, but we haven’t gotten into into depth.”
“Obviously, we’d rather have KP here and [be] part of [the Warriors’ preseason]. But he’s got to take care of his health, and again, we’ll support that and keep moving forward with the team,” Kerr added.
Golden State was hoping that mystery would subside. Alas, that does not appear to be the case.
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, April 10, 2026. AP Photo/Scott Marshall
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Assistant coach D.J. MacLeay of the Boston Celtics signals to his players during the second half of their preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Celtics assistant coach DJ MacLeay typically stands on the sidelines and barks out commands. MacLeay, who began as a player-enhancement coach with the Celtics in 2021, leads the team’s defense and is often one of the loudest voices during games.
But on Thursday night, for the first time in his career, he served as the Celtics’ head coach — at least for the second half.
Joe Mazzulla revealed at shootaround that he wouldn’t be coaching the Celtics’ preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instead, assistant coach Tony Dobbins would coach the first half (and handle pregame media responsibilities), and MacLeay would coach the second half (and handle postgame media responsibilities).
“It was definitely different,” MacLeay said. “I got to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics for a half. Can’t feel anything but gratitude for that.”
Mazzulla decided both coaches would get the opportunity after they went through head-coaching interviews this past summer, Dobbins with the Dallas Mavericks and MacLeay with the Portland Trail Blazers. Neither got the job — Dobbins was a finalist — but Mazzulla wanted to acknowledge their progress by giving them additional preseason responsibilities.
“To me that’s a huge testament to them and the work that they do,” Mazzulla said. “And so, you’re just always looking for opportunities to give them more experience. And sometimes, the only experience is being out there on the sideline.”
The Celtics head coach wanted to give his assistants time to mentally prepare, so he gave them a heads-up.
“In classic Joe fashion, he told us this way back in the summer, so I’ve had some time to think about this,” MacLeay said.
For MacLeay, serving as a head coach for a half gave him the opportunity to hone in on the key messages the team has been emphasizing throughout training camp.
“The biggest thing is working on the stuff that we’ve been trying to build — connection with the group, connection to how we want to play, understanding different turning points, different moments within the game, and I thought for the most part the guys really were intentional about that,” MacLeay said.
In addition to running the Celtics’ defense, MacLeay serves as Luka Garza’s player development coach. Garza excelled in Thursday’s game, finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds, both game-highs.
Afterward, he shared that getting to play for MacLeay formally made the outing even more meaningful.
“It was special, man,” Garza said. “He’s a guy that I just love working with, man. Every day, coming into the gym and working with him, whether it’s film or just the PD or whatever it is, he just brings such a great energy to the game, and I feel like we just have like mindsets in a lot of ways.
MacLeay knows he eventually wants to serve as a head coach, and he’s grateful that both the offseason interview process and the preseason game gave him a chance to prepare for the ultimate goal.
“All these experiences just open your eyes to all the different things that a head coach deals with, right?” MacLeay said. “There were things about that [interview] process that I could have done better, but I wouldn’t have known, having not gone through it before. And so, just like tonight, there were plenty of things that I screwed up, and I could have been better for the guys. And so, ultimately, just trying to be in a space where you take these experiences, you learn from them, you try to get better from them, you try to be better for the people around you, and serve the players as best you can. And you just try to take that mindset, the gratitude for this opportunity, for that opportunity with the interview, and just keep moving forward.”
As for Thursday’s game?
MacLeay smiled when asked what he felt he could have done better, and pointed to his after-timeout play calling.
“I drew way too many long ATOs,” MacLeay said. “I could have been better about that. My first time on the board in a long time — so just could have been better with that.”
The players, for one, could see their assistant coaches’ dreams ultimately coming to fruition.
“It was cool to see him get that opportunity, and he was obviously awesome in that role,” Garza said of MacLeay. “And that’s definitely in his future.”
On Thursday night in New York, the Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the New York Islanders. There is some debate online about the type of loss it was, but the fact is that the Blackhawks played an okay hockey game. They were on the losing end, mostly because the goalie on the other side gave them nothing.
One of the key stories that followed was the hit that Frank Nazar laid on Islanders forward Bo Horvat. It earned Nazar a five-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct for an illegal check to the head.
Frank Nazar’s hit here earned him a five minute major.
Many wondered if Nazar would be hearing from the league about this, and we have an answer. On Friday morning, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced that Nazar would have a hearing.
Chicago’s Frank Nazar will have a hearing today for an illegal check to the head against NY Islanders’ Bo Horvat.
There is going to be some sort of fine or suspension for this play. If there wasn't going to be anything, he wouldn't have a hearing.
After Nazar made the hit, he stopped and clearly had regret on his face. He did not mean to cause any harm to Horvat, and he has no history of being a dirty player in the NHL. Still, when they conclude what punishment is needed, he will have to take it.
The announcement of their decision will likely come later on Friday night or on Saturday at some point. The Blackhawks are back in Chicago ahead of their Saturday night game against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
If Nazar is suspended and Teuvo Teravainen can't suit up, a call-up may be needed. With Dominic Toninato already up, Landon Slaggert may be next in line.
As soon as the NHL Department of Player Safety announces its decision, we will have more on that and the fallout.
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Although the Los Angeles Lakers’ marquee free agency signing, Walker Kessler, is yet to play through three preseason games after jamming his finger on the backboard during training camp, neither Kessler nor his head coach, JJ Redick, sound alarmed about Kessler’s availability.
Kessler conducted an on-air interview with the broadcast during Thursday’s contest and seems quite optimistic about how he’s progressing.
“Finger’s good. Finger’s good,” Kessler said. “Just kind of going through all the protocols right now, talking to coaches and training staff right now…Feeling good.
Despite Redick and Kessler’s shared optimism about the injury, Kessler couldn’t offer a definitive timeline for his return.
“I’m not sure yet. I’m not sure yet,” he said. “We’re still talking and I don’t want to say anything that gets me in trouble. So, we’re still talking.”
The Lakers have two preseason games remaining ahead of their regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21. They play the Warriors in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday before wrapping up their preseason slate by hosting the Denver Nuggets Oct. 16.
After a jam-packed first week of preseason action, with three games in four days, the layoff before their next game should provide Kessler plenty of time to suit up in at least one of Los Angeles’ final two preseason outings, as Redick seems confident he will do.
With Kessler sidelined, the Lakers have started veteran Kevon Looney at center in two games while Sandro Mamukelashvili got the nod Tuesday against the Warriors, presumably signaling both are in line for a prominent role this season.
Through the preseason games, Mamukelashvili’s filled up the box score, averaging 14 points, 3.7 assists (2.0 turnovers), 2.0 rebounds and 1.o blocks in 19.3 minutes per night. He’s shooting 57.1 percent from both the floor (16-of-28) and beyond the arc (8-of-14).
He starred during Los Angeles’ 114-110 victory over the Kings Friday with 19 points (7-of-10 shooting), four assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Once Kessler is back healthy, which seems like it’ll be sooner rather than later, I’m curious how much Mamukelashvili is deployed as a 4 vs. a small-ball 5.
MONTCLAIR, NJ - APRIL 29: Former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone attends the press conference announcing Mickey Mantle Signed Contract Auction To Assist Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund at Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center on April 29, 2013 in Montclair, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The period between the 1964 World Series loss and the return to the Fall Classic in 1976 is a bit of a wasteland in Yankees’ history. Thanks in large part to the disaster that was CBS ownership, the Yankees had some of their worst years during that time. Things started to turn around by the start of the 1970s, as young players like Thurman Munson began to develop.
However, it’s not as if the Yankees had no good players in that down era. It’s not as if the children following the team didn’t have their idols. One of them is Joe Pepitone, whose birthday we celebrate today.
Joseph Anthony “Joe” Pepitone Born: October 9, 1940 (Brooklyn, NY) Died: March 13, 2023 (Kansas City, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1962-69
Joe Pepitone was born on October 9, 1940, in the very city he would go on play in professionally. The oldest of three boys, he grew up in Brooklyn with his parents Willie and Angelina. Although Joe said he loved and admired his father, the elder Pepitone could be abusive, both physically and emotionally. In one particular incident, Joe telling his father “I hate you!” caused Willie to hurl an ash tray in the direction of his son. It didn’t hit Joe, but it smashed against the wall, causing shards to fly in his eyes. There was no permanent damage, but the physical abuse did end after that harrowing incident. His father passed away in 1958, just a day after Joe had told his mom that “I wish he’d die” after another blowup between the two of them.
Pepitone was introduced to baseball by an uncle, and honed his game playing in the sandlots of New York City. A star in high school at Manual Training High School (now John Jay High School), Pepitone also played for Nathan’s Hot Dog semipro team when he began to catch the eyes of scouts. However, he had another nearly life-altering incident before he began his professional career.
In March 1958, just weeks before Pepitone would begin in minor league career, he was shot in an incident at his high school. A classmate had found a gun on the docks, and had pointed it — possibly, hopefully jokingly — at Pepitone, who didn’t know what was happening, tried backing away. The gun accidentally went off, and Pepitone had been shot straight through the stomach. Thankfully, Pepitone somehow escaped mostly uninjured, and signed for the Yankees shortly after that.
After signing with the Yankees, Pepitone rocketed through the minor leauges, and made the majors after impressing following a spring training with the big league team in 1962. Early on, Pepitone’s playing time was sparse with Bill “Moose” Skowron entrenched as the Yankees’ first baseman. As the calendar turned to May, manager Ralph Houk began to use him more, often deploying him in the outfield. However, after struggles and a disciplinary incident, the Yankees sent the youngster back down to the minors. He put up big numbers there and got called back up, although he wouldn’t appear in the 1962 World Series, which would be the Yankees’ last Fall Classic victory until 1977.
The 1963 season would go on to be a breakthrough one for Pepitone. He slugged 27 home runs and was named an All-Star, starting the game at first base. Pepitone would end up making the All-Star team in 1964 and ‘65 as well, along with helping the Yankees to the 1963 and ‘64 AL pennants. They lost both those series, though and Pepitone would never appear in the postseason again.
Over the next couple years, Pepitone became a star for the Yankees. However, with the stars of the 1950s and early 60s dynasty aging out, the team began to go the wrong way in the standings. With a career 105 OPS+ while on the Yankees, Pepitone was hardly ever the problem on the field. However, he could often be a bit of one off it. He gained the reputation as a bit of a party boy and had a habit of showing up late and having disagreements with managers. Between that and the fact that he was one of the higher earners on a bad Yankees’ team, the decision was eventually made to trade him. In December 1969, he was sent to the Astros for Curt Blefary.
Pepitone had a couple stops after his Yankee career, most notably with the Cubs from 1970-73. After his MLB career ended, he had a brief stint with the Yakult Atoms in Japan. He eventually returned to the Bronx as a coach, and was credited with helping Don Mattingly master first base defensively. However, his off-field issues remained, and he even did prison time after a 1988 drug conviction. He later released a fairly candid autobiography, where he spoke at length about his issues, and how they led to the end of three marriages and kept him from being an even better player.
In later years, Pepitone became something of a pop culture reference point. He was mentioned on occasions on “Seinfield” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” with noted Yankee fan Larry David right in the age range to remember Pepitone’s peak.
He was also the subject of a mention in a flashback scene in “The Sopranos.”
Tree RBI.
In his later years, Pepitone settled in Kansas City, where he was living with one of his children. He often made time to return to Yankees alumni events though, including Old-Timers’ Day in the Bronx. Pepitone passed away in KC at the age of 82 in 2023.
Nobody will mistake Joe Pepitone for a Baseball Hall of Famer, his stats weren’t remotely there. However, for Yankees’ fans of the time, watching a local kid make good, you couldn’t have told them otherwise.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Jordan Lawlar #10 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the second inning at Petco Park on September 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You could never count the 2026 Diamondbacks team out. Even right up until the last weekend of the season when they were all but written off weeks earlier, this team was still giving us reason to be invested and watch meaningful baseball games. But how good was this team really? What went good? What went bad? And most importantly what needs to be addressed so that we are still watching baseball in the playoffs at this time next season? Lets get started.
Team Overview
First, lets look at the season stats. The 2026 Dbacks managed to win 86 games despite scoring about the same amount of runs as they allowed at 739 scored vs 730 allowed. This is good for a Pythagorean wins total of 81.9 wins so it could be argued that this team overperformed by about 4 wins. That 4 win overperformance vs Pythagorean is 5th highest in MLB. Lets start with the offense. If we look at the trends, the 739 runs was about 52 runs fewer than 2025, and 147 runs less than when they lead the league in offense with 886 runs in 2024. On the run prevention side we see the opposite trend with this team going from 26th in runs allowed in 2024 to 17th in 2026.
Simply put, the offense got worse and the run prevention got better and this team had the same result being a mid 80s win team and just missing the 3rd wild card spot. But lets dig a little deeper shall we?
What Went Right
1. Bullpen- Starting with what went best and perhaps the surprise of the season, the bullpen. There are many metrics used to evaluate relief pitchers, but I love win probability added (WPA) and this group went from 30th in 2025 to 5th. Part of WPA is timing and this bullpen was 4th in Clutch which was worth about 4 wins which is roughly the whole gap over Pythagorean. So when looking at reasons as to why this team was better than its Pythagorean, it could very well be this bullpen entirely making it the MVP of this season for me. The most surprising find I made was Juan Morillo, Brandyn Garcia, and Justin Martinez were worth more WPA (4.05) than the big 3 of Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, and Corbin Carroll (WPA 3.17). That speaks to how clutch this bullpen was and how not clutch the big 3 was. Maybe we have a new big 3 in 2027 and they come out of the bullpen? Garcia was elite against lefties with a .182 xwOBA and still good against righties with a .264. And his stuff+ backs up the results with a 130 sweeper and a 117 sinker. Martinez looked great in his return from 2nd Tommy John with a 101.8 avg fastball velocity in September, the highest of his career. He did spray the ball around a little bit more than you would like with an 18% BB, however it was only 13 innings so maybe we can chalk it up to some rust. Stuff+ tends to settle faster than many of the other metrics so his stuff+ of 127.5 for 2026 is both really encouraging and completely absurd. For context, among relievers with 10+ innings pitched, JMart’s 127.5 stuff+ ranks 3rd in all of baseball! Aside from the excitement of seeing JMart back, Juan Morillo and Jonathan Loaisiga were the backbone of the group and the glue that held it together giving this team a combined 131.1 innings of 2.33 high leverage relief innings. Worth about 2.7 fWAR combined. Absolutely huge.
2. The Defense- Next up for what went right, the defense. You noticed coming into this season that the front office started referring to ‘run prevention’ rather than pitching? That wasn’t by mistake. They doubled down on their inability to limit hard contact in years past by building an elite defensive team that likely propped up a below average pitching group that still allowed a lot of contact once again in 2026. The defense was +36 in Outs Above Average (3rd in MLB) which equates to about 29 fielding runs or roughly 3 wins. What propelled this defense vs previous seasons? An unsung hero of the defense this season was Geraldo Perdomo who alone was worth +18 Def. Bullpen and defense were difficult to rank which one was more critical to this team in 2026 especially when you consider the starters allowed the 3rd highest contact in baseball in 2026. One thing is for sure, this team would’ve looked a lot different without this defense.
3. Gabriel Moreno finally broke out! Ever since he was batting 3rd in the world series run in 2023, fans have been dreaming of what Gabriel Moreno could look like if things clicked and he was able to stay healthy, and in 2026 fans finally got to see just that! Aside from winning the batting title and being the first catcher to accomplish the feat since Buster Posey, Gabi lead the team with 5.4fWAR. Most importantly his breakout season is backed up by the numbers with a 141 wRC+ and a .363 xwOBA so this wasn’t a fluke by any means. And he was still the superb defender we have grown accustomed to. This was a player finally putting it all together and reaching his star potential. A huge development to add another player with star potential to the middle of this lineup and anchoring the defense with Perdomo.
4. Unlikely Rotation Heroes- The rotation was saved by the most unlikely of sorts. Eduardo Rodriguez was able to have a breakout season and earn almost the entirety of his contract in 1 year putting up 3.2 WAR with a 16-7 record and a sparkling 2.89 ERA in 189 innings. Another not fun exercise you can do with yourself if you want to get into the spooky season spirit a little early is where would this team have been without ERod? Now the only reason for me he is a little lower in this list is that I believe at least a significant portion of the ERod breakout was due to the defense being so good (4.27 xERA), but still you cant take anything away from what he was able to do. The other rotation savior was Michael Soroka. Perhaps the most important signing of the 2025 offseason, Soroka came in and was worth 2.7 WAR in just 116 innings, but lead the rotation with a 3.19 FIP. Without ERod and Soroka’s breakouts, this rotation would’ve sunk this season early in the season.
5. A strong Second Half Surge- For the second straight season this team seemed to surge in the second half going 37-29 after the break. However, it wasn’t for the reasons you maybe would’ve thought as it wasn’t really due to the reinforcements finally arriving, it was genuinely because this team was just playing better baseball. Specifically, the offense went from 4.33 runs/game (19th) before the allstar break to 4.89 runs/game (4th) after. This was the second biggest improvement in baseball over that span.
This was largely driven by the team’s xwOBA jumping from 26th to 5th due to a couple of factors: chase rate dropped 2.2 points, barells rose .9 points (2nd biggest rise) and hard hit rose 1.6 points (3rd biggest rise). About 85% of this improvement came simply from who was batting vs the same hitters improving. Guys like Lourdes Gurreil Jr, Adrian Del Castillo, Alek Thomas, and LuJames Groover saw significantly less PA while guys like Lars Nootbaar, Tim Tawa, and James McCann saw more. Of positive note here, Corbin Carroll’s fastball whiff rate fell from 27.6% to 21.9% while his xwOBA held so its likely the late “slump” was bad luck and nothing more.
Summary
All in all, despite missing the playoffs there was much to be excited about in 2026 and there is foundation to build upon for 2027. Was this team likely a little bit better than it should’ve been? Probably yes. And for that we should be thankful. The season definitely could’ve been much worse. Next week I will be bad cop and cover the dreaded what went wrong.
The strengths of the Senators can be categorized into three main pillars: 1) their quality of young centre depth; 2) their defensive structure; and 3) the quality of their blue line.
I want to focus on the latter.
When healthy, the Senators have one of the best and deepest blue lines in the league.
Carter Yakemchuk talked about the Senators' home opening 2-1 win over Philadelphia on Thursday (Senators YouTube).
That may sound strange, given it is an unconventional group. Their top four doesn't feature big, strapping, physically imposing players that were hallmarks of the game from the 1990s through the 2010s.
The Senators have a modernized group that can skate, close and move the puck efficiently.
“It's the way everybody can skate,” Thomas Chabot explained. “We try to take advantage of that year after year. Obviously it's a fast league, and there's not much time out there. The way everybody can move keeps us from giving the other team time and space to gain our blue line or gain the red line.
“We force teams to have no space, so when they get to the red line, they have to put it behind you, and from there we all have good skills. We can break the puck out, and our forwards play a very good system of coming back low and supporting each other. Ask any top-six forward in the NHL, and they'll never want to dump the puck in.
"They want to come in, make some plays, and create offence off the rush, and that's what we try to eliminate. Anytime you get them to dump the puck in, then it becomes frustrating to play against, and then that's exactly our goal.”
The process certainly worked last season as the Senators finished the season ranked tenth in the league for collective points produced by blue liners (193). The Senators also posted some of the league's best five-on-five defensive metrics, per Natural Stat Trick.
Percentage of shots for (CF%): 52.85, 5th
Percentage of shots on goal (SF%): 54.08, 4th
Percentage of total goals for (GF%): 52.34, 11th
Percentage of expected goals for (xGF%): 54.54, 3rd
Rate of shots allowed (CA/60): 51.85, 3rd
Rate of shots on goal allowed (SA/60): 23.37, 3rd
Rate of expected goals allowed (xGA/60): 2.32, 3rd
The numbers speak for themselves, and the Senators returned their entire blue line, except for Nick Jensen. The group is headlined by Jake Sanderson, one of the best two-way defencemen in the league and a viable Norris Trophy candidate. Artem Zub is one of the best analytical defensive defencemen in the game, and Jordan Spence has taken Jensen’s spot in the top-four alongside the veteran puck-moving Thomas Chabot.
Tyler Kleven and Nik Matinpalo stand in contrast to the rest of the group. Although both skate well, their size creates a different wrinkle: they can assert themselves physically or use their reach advantage to disrupt plays.
Carter Yakemchuk is the wild card.
The high-upside defender was the seventh overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he has already showcased the offensive aptitude that made him such a desirable pick.
In eight career NHL games, Yakemchuk has contributed two goals and six points, including the game-winner in last night’s 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
For a blue line that is already incredibly strong, his development and progress could catapult this group into being the best in the NHL.
Chabot is clearly excited about the Yakemchuk's potential impact as he develops,
“It's unreal,” Chabot said. “If you look at all the teams that win Stanley Cups, if you look at their back end, everybody plays a ton of minutes, and the ice time is spread out.
“Defence wins games. We've seen it through a lot of the times last year when we end up winning games two or three one, and you give up 12 to 15 shots, you make life easier for your goalies. And usually, it means you're not giving up many Grade A scoring chances. The more we can all spread the work and be a really solid back end, it will give ourselves a chance every single night to win.”
Thursday night’s game-winning goal was the perfect example of what Yakemchuk can bring to the table. Although Tyler Kleven, who possessed the hardest recorded in-game shot last season, can bring the heat, nobody else on the Senators poses the threat from the top of the blue line that Yakemchuk does.
And for a power play that tends to pass it around on the outside looking for the perfect bumper play or chances down low, Yakemchuk’s shot can help keep the opposition honest.
Over a small sample size, that success has been there, but the coaching staff has done a phenomenal job insulating Yakemchuk. Although he has averaged 16:10 of ice time through four games this season alongside Tyler Kleven, no player on the Senators has a higher percentage of offensive zone starts (69.70) than the rookie.
That usage is because Yakemchuk, like any young defenceman finding his way in the league, has warts in his defensive game. The hope is that, in time, his experience and maturity will help with his defensive reads, pivots, and gap control.
After an offseason in which he worked hard to improve his fitness and skating, Yakemchuk fulfilled his goal of making the opening roster, but he recognizes there will be ups and downs this season.
Part of that will be finding that delicate balance of recognizing that not every play he makes needs to be a home run.
“Even in Belleville last year, there were times I struggled with (that balance) every shift,” Yakemchuk admitted. “I want to make a difference or make a big play, but I just need to let the game come to me and focus on the defensive side first, and then the offence takes care of itself.”
Chabot emphasized that every young, offensive defenceman has to go through this process.
“That's the biggest learning curve because you come from junior or wherever you are, and you're usually the best players by far on the ice,” he stated. “You get away with more things. Whereas here, you make one little sneaky play that becomes a turnover, and usually ends up in the back of your net because you’re in the NHL.
“It's just learning those things, and I think (Yakemchuk’s) done a hell of a job. (Travis Green) and (Nolan Baumgartner) are there for him too to help him learn, go through those learning curves, and so are we. It’s important to help him out and support him as best we can.”
It is that recognition of responsibility that makes Chabot such an important figure in Yakemchuk’s first year as a regular.
“That's what we got to do as older guys on the team is support him through it,” Chabot acknowledged. “He's done really well, but it's through 84 games of doing the same thing over and over again, and we've all been through it. We know how hard it is to do it the first time.
“The good thing for him is he's got Jake (Sanderson). He has guys in front of him that he doesn't have to go out there and be the only guy to do it. We can all do it as a group and support him. Obviously, I'm 29 years old, and some nights you're gonna have shitty games. That's just life. But you're there for the young guy. You want to support him every night. You want him to be free and go out there and do his thing.”
After the game, Yakemchuk was asked whether he got all of it on his game-winner.
“Yeah, I think so,” he said through a laugh.
The Senators will have to support Yakemchuk throughout the year to ensure that they get all of it - the positive development that could launch an already talented back end to one of the preeminent groups in the NHL.
The reigning NBA champions announced on Friday, Oct. 9, that they are pausing negotiations with all extension-eligible players until a later date in order to minimize distractions as the Knicks begin their title defense. The decision leaves Towns and Hart without long-term clarity after both publicly expressed a desire to remain with New York.
"As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of," a Knicks spokesperson said, according to multiplereports. "As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season."
But Towns and Hart have become a delicate challenge for the team's front office coming off that exhilarating title run. While cutting off extension talks is intended to eliminate distractions, it also risks alienating two key Knicks starters who are among the team's most popular players.
By delaying negotiations, the Knicks are ensuring the contract situations involving Towns and Hart remain a storyline throughout the season, especially if either becomes more vocal about his frustration with the process.
Which Knicks players are affected by contract extension pause?
The Knicks currently have four players eligible to receive a contract extension.
Karl-Anthony Towns
Josh Hart
Miles McBride
Tyler Kolek
Karl-Anthony Towns contract: Latest updates
Karl-Anthony Towns is entering the third season of a four-year, $220.4 million contract he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Knicks in October 2024. He is set to make a salary of more than $57 million for the 2026-27 NBA season. The final year of the deal includes a player option with a salary cap hit of more than $61 million.
Towns has been eligible to sign a four-year, $276 million contract extension this entire offseason. The team's latest offer, according to ESPN, was a four-year deal worth about $200 million.
After Oct. 19, Towns would have to decline his player option for the 2027-28 season in order to sign a contract extension with the Knicks, according to NBA reporter Keith Smith. Towns recently expressed frustration with the way negotiations have gone, despite offering to take less than the max like Knicks star Jalen Brunson did in 2024 to provide more salary cap flexibility.
"Simply put, I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me," Towns told reporters earlier this week. "None of those things have come close to happening."
Josh Hart contract: Latest updates
Hart is entering the third season of a four-year contract worth more than $80 million. He is scheduled to earn $20.9 million in 2026-27, while the Knicks hold a $22.3 million team option for 2027-28.
Hart is extension eligible and also wants to stay in New York, but indicated no progress had been made at the start of training camp.
"There hasn't really been much movement and conversation with that, so I don't think it will get done," Hart told reporters last month. "I would love to get it done."
What's next for the Knicks?
The Knicks begin the 2026-27 NBA regular season against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 20. In addition to Hart and Towns, the franchise also must consider that Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby become extension-eligible next offseason. If Dolan stands by his promise not to enter the second apron, keeping the core of last year's championship roster intact beyond the 2026-27 season will become increasingly difficult.
