The Cubs last played the Red Sox July 20, 2025 at Wrigley Field, 432 days ago. They lost 6-1 after winning the first two games of that series.
In hindsight, that’s when the wheels started falling off the 2025 season. The Cubs entered that game leading the NL Central by one game and were 20 games over .500 at 59-39. They went 33-30 after the July 20 loss, which isn’t terrible, but the Brewers went 38-25 and won the division by five games.
These games are more meaningful for the Cubs, as they could still finish as the fourth, fifth or sixth NL postseason seed. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are most likely headed to New York Tuesday to begin a Wild Card series.
For more on the Red Sox, here’s Mike Carlucci, a writer for our SB Nation Red Sox site Over The Monster.
As the Cubs arrive in Fenway Park they face perhaps the most mercurial Red Sox team in a generation. Boston famously got off to a disastrous start. Alex Cora and the entire (well, mostly, Andrew Bailey survived) coaching staff departed unceremoniously, or perhaps slightly ceremoniously, in a van that said “Coaches for Hire.”
But then a 15-game winning streak. And a streak of 9. They couldn’t lose.
After about 40 gamers though, things slowed down. With a playoff berth clinched, Boston welcomes the Cubs to Fenway Park on a weekend the city braces for a nor-easter. Sunday became Friday afternoon. Friday evening became…slightly earlier on Friday. Saturday is… possibly being moved to Tropicana Field on Sunday. On the NESN post-game show the plan was for the players to be packed and ready to go to Tampa for a game Sunday and then from there to New York for the Wild Card.
Former Cub Willson Contreras hopes to play in the series after getting hit in the hand by the Texas Rangers. He’s still in a lot of pain trying to swing and isn’t sure he will be ready for the Wild Card. Garrett Crochet will probably not appear in any games. However they did move him to the Spring Training park to keep building up. Maybe if Sunday is played in Tampa he’ll make a surprise entrance?
Alex Gamboa will be the starter/opener in Game 1. He’s gone as deep as 4.0 innings before so it might be a short start rather than a strict open. It’s possible Jake Bennett provides some bulk innings as well. Bennett, in his rookie year, had a fantastic first half but tired in the second half.
Brayan Bello gets the start for Game 2. He’s been starting with an opener most of the summer but last time out against the Rays he went 8.0 brilliant innings in a return to starting the game in the first inning himself.
Who pitches on Saturday? It could be anyone! Possibly Jedixson Páez as he made one appearance for Boston already and could save the bullpen from carrying those innings. He’s tossed 6.2 innings in his career, all in 2026, with both colors of Sox while allowing 14 earned runs. You hate to think of a player as expendable but, in a potentially rain-shortened (or canceled) game 162 that is meaningless to at least one team involved, that just might be the bar.
Fun facts
This is only the second time that the Cubs have finished the regular season playing an American League team, and the first outside Chicago. They wrapped up 2020 on the South Side vs. the White Sox.
Since interleague play began in 1997, the Cubs have played only 27 games against the Red Sox, tying for their fewest against an American League team. They also have played 27 vs. the Athletics. They have played 28 vs. the Orioles and Rays, 29 vs. the Angels and 30, their total against Boston after this weekend, vs. the Blue Jays and Rangers.
The Cubs are 14-13 against the Red Sox, despite having been outscored by 11 runs, 142-131. The Cubs are +6 in all games except the second one in their last visit to Boston: a 17-0 shellacking on April 27, 2024.
The Cubs lost that series finale, too, 5-4, leaving each team with six wins when they have met in Boston. Half of the Cubs’ wins came in 2014, when they swept the Sox by scores of 2-0, 2-1 and 16-9. They went 1-2 in each of their three other series at Fenway Park. They split the first two games of all three.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Friday, Game 1: Clay Holmes, RHP (2-4, 4.26 ERA, 1.241 WHIP, 4.11 FIP in eight starts with Cubs; 6-8, 3.25 ERA, 1.165 WHIP, 3.62 FIP in 17 starts overall) vs. Alec Gamboa, LHP (1-0, 1.16 ERA, 1.065 WHIP, 3.16 FIP)
Friday, Game 2: David Peterson, LHP (6-2, 3.94 ERA, 1.394 WHIP, 4.20 FIP in 15 games with Cubs; 9-8, 4.96 ERA, 1.514 WHIP, 4.03 FIP in 31 games overall) vs. Brayan Bello, RHP (6-7, 4.62 ERA, 1.371 WHIP, 4.00 FIP)
Saturday: TBD vs. TBD
Times & TV channels
Friday, Game 1: 12:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Friday, Game 2: 5:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Saturday: 6:15 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
As you have likely heard, there is a chance that the Saturday game might be moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, and played on Sunday instead of Saturday. If that happens, the game would likely be played at 2:05 p.m. CT so as to match up with all the other last day of the regular season starting times.
Prediction
I throw up my hands here. I have no idea. I like picking two of three so why the heck not. The Cubs need to win one more game than the Padres do this weekend against the Diamondbacks to finish ahead of them for a wild card spot, and one more game than the Phillies do against the Rays to finish ahead of them. (Those numbers include the fact that the Cubs own the tiebreaker against both the Padres and Phillies.)
Up next
The postseason! The Cubs will be playing Tuesday. Against … the Phillies, or the Padres, or the Braves, or even possibly the Diamondbacks, and at this time we have no idea where. As always, we await developments.
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 23: Sam Antonacci #17 of the Chicago White Sox bats during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Sydney Schneider/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We are entering the final week of the regular season. The playoff field is mostly set, with, realistically, just the Rangers battling the Astros for the AL West – the loser stays home – and the White Sox battling the Guardians for the AL Central – the loser gets the final Wild Card spot. The Royals, obviously, are not included in this year’s field.
And yet, I discovered last year that having your local team miss the playoffs doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The Royals also missed the playoffs that year, and yet I became invested in the Seattle Mariners. Cal Raleigh was such a fun story last year, and they had all that amazing pitching. Plus, they’d had one of the most exciting trade deadlines, acquiring Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor. So when it came time for the playoffs to start, unlike most seasons, I kept watching.
And what I found was an absolutely liberating experience. When the Mariners managed to scrape past the Tigers and Tarik Skubal, it was nearly as much fun as watching the Royals win. But when the Phillies lost on the terrible defensive play, I didn’t feel the crush of defeat the way I normally do. When the Mariners blew the late lead in game seven of the ALCS, I felt a small twinge, but rebounded very quickly. I was even able to transfer my temporary allegiance to the Blue Jays and the exciting story of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashing every single ball thrown near him. When they also blew a late lead in game seven of the World Series, again, a small twinge, but then I was able to simply enjoy how cool Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s postseason performance had been.
Every season, 18 teams stop playing after the regular season ends. From that point on, it’s constant attrition until there can be only one winner. It seems silly that only 1/30 of the fans get to enjoy the season based on their team winning the whole thing. So I highly recommend giving temporary fandom a shot. It can be rewarding without being nearly as punishing as the usual thing.
That said, I think even temporary fandom has to be a bit organic. If you try to force it, it simply doesn’t work. That’s what I found out last year when I tried to transfer my Phillies fandom to the Brewers. Milwaukee just wasn’t able to appeal to me for whatever reason, and so I became an AL-only fan. But to give you all the best chance I can to find that organic excitement, let’s go over some of the storylines for each of the playoff contenders, and hopefully you’ll find at least one team you can vibe with!
The Tampa Bay Rays have the best record in the American League, and they’ve done it on the backs of two young position players who could hardly be any different. Junior Caminero has battled with Yordan Alvarez for the AL lead in home runs for most of the season; he leads all of MLB in swing length and bat speed. He leads the American League in EV90 – a stat that averages the top 10% hardest-hit balls by a player. On the other end of the spectrum is Chandler Simpson. Simpson doesn’t have a single barrel to his name in the entire season, though he squares the ball up better than anyone; he just doesn’t hit it very hard. He almost never walks or strikes out. But he has the fourth-best batting average in MLB and leads the AL in stolen bases. He’s basically what you would get if you took Luis Arraez and traded away what little power he has for elite defense and speed.
Drew Rasmussen leads the rotation, but Griffin Jax and Shane McClanahan (who will miss at least the ALDS) have been good too. Freddy Peralta has been rejuvenated after being acquired at the deadline. Nick Martinez has been solid. Ian Seymour has been significantly better than his ERA, but might end up in the bullpen for the playoffs, where he could really dominate. If he does, he’ll join Bryan Baker – battling for MLB saves leader – and Kevin Kelly – 24th in MLB for reliever fWAR.
The New York Yankees are probably a tough sell for most Royals fans, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about them a little. Aaron Judge is a generational talent. Ben Rice is having the kind of breakout season we all hope to see from Jac Caglianone next year. Cody Bellinger is still very good; Paul Goldschmidt is having a heck of a last hurrah. Giancarlo Stanton is trying to come back to attempt more playoff heroics.
On the pitching side, Cam Schlittler is probably going to win the AL Cy Young Award. He somehow overshadows Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and the breakout of Ryan Weathers. They have two relievers who have topped 2.0 fWAR in setup man Brent Headrick and closer David Bednar.
The Boston Red Sox might be the poster children for the idea that good things can happen when an underachieving team fires its manager, even if the manager is widely regarded as quite good at his job. Roman Anthony was one of the best prospects in baseball last year and is starting to come back into his own again after battling injuries all season. Mickey Gasper was a waiver wire pickup who has nearly carried the offense. Willson Contreras is having the best season of his good career at age 34. Cedanne Rafaela has been electric in center field, though he injured his hamstring and his availability for the playoffs is in question.
Rookie Payton Tolle might have stolen the show with his tremendous pitching, but Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez are no slouches. Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman have always been very good, but Brayan Bello has been a revelation since being bumped from the rotation, and Erik Miller has turned out to be a very good deadline pickup. Collectively, the Red Sox have had the most valuable bullpen in the AL, and it isn’t particularly close.
The Chicago White Sox are this year’s version of the 2024 Royals. They lost 102 games last year and this year they’re battling with the Guardians for the division and will settle for a Wild Card. And that’s just the very beginning of why they’re going to be my favorite team to start the 2026 playoffs! They also have Team Italy contributors Sam Antonacci and Kyle Teel. They have Munetaka Murakami being way better than people expected. They have two young sluggers named Montgomery who are not related to each other. They have a huge surprise in Tristan Peters and a young veteran taking yet another step forward in Miguel Vargas, and somehow Chase Meidroth has exploded.
They don’t have much of interest in their rotation, but Grant Taylor has been pretty good in the bullpen. They recently promoted top pitching prospect Hagen Smith to the bullpen and demoted top pitching prospect Noah Schultz from the rotation to the bullpen, and both have been utterly dominant.
I don’t want to spend the time to go over the Texas Rangers or the Houston Astros. We’re still not sure which of them will even make it; the Astros are still stained by the cheating scandal of nearly a decade ago in many minds, and the Rangers do everything they can to be political and on the wrong side for my taste. The Rangers have Nicky Lopez, and the Astros have Yordan Alvarez. Either team could be the first-ever MLB team to make the playoffs with a sub-.500 record, and maybe you want to root for the chaos and gnashing of teeth that such a team winning the World Series would lead to. And who would I be to stop you?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going to be a hard sell for many, but they have a certain appeal. They’re going for the first threepeat since the Yankees did it from 1998-2000. Shohei Ohtani won’t be pitching, but he should still be hitting, and that’s still worth the price of admission. Josue De Paula earned a promotion to the bigs when Shohei was hurt a couple of weeks ago, and he did well enough that I absolutely would not count him out of postseason appearances even after he was demoted upon Shohei’s return. Max Muncy is still Max Muncy. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernández are no longer as good as they once were, but they’re still good. Enrique Hernández is somehow still around and has always been a monster for LA in the postseason.
Their pitching, as usual, is just silly. Tarik Skubal is taking up all the oxygen, but Blake Snell has won a pair of Cy Young Awards; Yoshinobu Yamamoto almost single-handedly won the World Series for them last season; Tyler Glasnow would have won a Cy Young if he could have ever pitched a full season; Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, and Roki Sasaki have all been very good. In their bullpen, Edwin Díaz has been a disappointment, but Tanner Scott has rebounded in a big way, and they have old friends Will Klein and Kris Bubic to help carry the load, too.
The Atlanta Braves have Ronald Acuña Jr. – he’s always fun. Drake Baldwin is an exciting young catcher. Ozzie Albies has bounced back. Matt Olson has hit 40 home runs for two straight seasons. And old friends Lane Thomas and Mike Yastrzemski are role players who could be key pinch-hitters on the nights they don’t start.
On the pitching side, it’s Chris Sale and then everyone else. Chris is 37, a future Hall of Famer, and somehow he’s still dealing so well that if it wasn’t for the next starting pitcher we’re going to talk about, he’d be a strong candidate for the Cy Young Award this year.
When you talk about the Milwaukee Brewers, you don’t start with the hitting; you start with Jacob Misiorowski. He is, as hinted above, a near lock for this year’s NL Cy Young at only 24. He has a 1.86 ERA, and he has a 31.7% K-BB%, which is higher than the K% of all but two other starting pitchers in all of baseball. They also have three flamethrowing relievers at the back end of their bullpen: Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby.
But actually, their offense is pretty fun, too. Brice Turang has taken even a step above last year’s breakout. Jackson Chourio bounced back after taking a dip in his sophomore year. Jake Bauers has come out of nowhere at age 30. Garrett Mitchell has done the same, though he’s still just 27. And William Contreras is still a truly excellent catcher. Andrew Vaughn continues his career resurgence after arriving from Chicago last season. Christian Yelich is no longer the player he once was, but he used to be so good, and for some, it might be fun to watch him try to finally capture a championship.
The Brewers are also a small-market team and will finish the season with more wins than any other team.
The Philadelphia Phillies have the same exciting guys they’ve had for a few years. Bryce Harper might have some weird opinions, but he can hit a baseball. So can Kyle Schwarber, though I don’t know if he has any weird opinions.
Pitching has been their real calling card this year, though. Cristopher Sánchez was on a Cy Young track until the Royals roughed him up and he finished looking far more mortal. They also have Zack Wheeler, though he’s had a similar arc to his season. Jesús Luzardo was fantastic before he got hurt, though he promised to return for the playoffs and successfully threw a bullpen session recently. Jhoan Duran is still one of the best closers in the sport, and his sidekick is former Royal Jonathan Bowlan.
The Chicago Cubs start and mostly end with Pete Crow-Armstrong, the 40-40 center fielder who seems destined not just for this year’s Gold Glove, but also a platinum glove and an MVP Award. Seiya Suzuki and Alex Bregman have been adequate sidekicks for the guy who has basically been the best player in MLB with little to no competition. Bregman, unfortunately, suffered multiple facial fractures from an errant foul ball, and his availability for the playoffs is in question.
On the pitching side, I have to be honest: no one really stands out. Their best pitcher by fWAR has been Ben Brown, and he was ruled out for the remainder of the season at the beginning of the month. The next most valuable has been Shota Imanaga, and he’s been plenty good but simply cannot compare to the other studs around the sport.
The San Diego Padres have Fernando Tatis Jr., and you don’t need much more to be interested in them. But they also have Manny Machado still chugging along. Jackson Merrill has been enjoying a bounce-back campaign. Xander Bogaerts has been playing his best ball in years. Old friends Samad Taylor and Freddy Fermin have valiantly held down bench roles. But it’s old nemesis Ty France who seems to have boosted the Padres from “playoff contender” to “championship threat”, at least on the hitting side. He’s enjoying the best campaign of his career and treating all of MLB as he always has the Royals. At least now everyone else feels our pain.
Now, if you actually want to know what’s powering the Padres’ success…remember how I mentioned the Red Sox had the most valuable bullpen in the AL and it wasn’t particularly close? They lead the second-place AL team by 1.6 fWAR. The Padres lead the Red Sox by 1.4 fWAR. Mason Miller has had a nearly 4-WAR season as a reliever. Adrian Morejon has the third-best reliever fWAR in baseball at 2.8. Yuki Matsui has a sub-1.00 ERA over the past month. Michael King leads their rotation, and he’s been more “quite good” than “fantastic,” but if you want to see a team try to pull off the HDH victories of 2014 and 2015, these Padres might be the team to do it.
I won’t tell you which team to pick, though I’ve told you my favorite in the AL. After doing this exercise, I think I’m probably leaning toward the Padres in the NL, but maybe The Miz can attract me back to the Midwest. But really, it doesn’t matter which team you pick. Just that you pick one and give yourself an additional opportunity to feel some relatively risk-free joy in a world where it can be so hard to find.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 22: Adley Rutschman #31 of the Boston Red Sox tags out Chase DeLauter #24 Cleveland Guardians at home during the second inning of a game on September 22, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite getting eliminated from the AL East title race on Tuesday, the Yankees have to feel good about taking three out of four from the Rays. Concluding with the comeback victory to cap off the series win on Thursday, the Yankees now have a tangible piece of positive reinforcement that they can beat Tampa Bay with the playoffs less than a week away. While their game may have carried no weight in the standings or postseason seeding, there is still meaningful baseball being played around the AL that has consequences for both divisional and Wild Card races, with two teams getting eliminated from the Wild Card picture (though still with a chance to win their division).
Cleveland Guardians (83-76) 1, Boston Red Sox (85-74) 0
Those tuning in hoping for some excitement on offense were sorely disappointed, the Guardians and Red Sox combining for just six hits. It was an unorthodox pitchers’ duel, Ranger Suarez limiting Cleveland to a run on three hits and a walk in five innings while the Guardians rolled out a bullpen game, opener Daniel Espino and bulk reliever Joey Cantillo combining for six scoreless innings allowing just a hit and two walks. Boston’s only base knocks were two-out singles by Nick Sogard and Jarren Duran in the third and seventh, respectively.
The Guardians were hardly more effective at the plate with the bulk of the action coming in the second and third innings. The lone run of the game came courtesy of a one-out solo shot by Angel Martínez in the second on a 2-2 changeup from Suarez off the plate away.
As it turns out, that was the blast that clinched a postseason berth for the Guardians. With the win, Cleveland at worst has clinched the third and final Wild Card spot, their third straight postseason berth. They still lead the AL Central by a game over the White Sox, though Chicago does own the season series tiebreaker in the event of identical records.
As for Boston, a postseason berth is already sewn up, but not quite the five-seed in the AL. Should Boston lose out, Cleveland win two of their final three, and Chicago win out, all three teams would end with an 85-77 record. In that unlikely event, the AL Central tiebreaker would supersede interdivisional head-to-head record, meaning that the Red Sox would then drop to the six-seed in the AL despite winning the season series over the White Sox and splitting with the Guardians. That would result in a Yankees-Guardians showdown in one AL Wild Card Series while the Red Sox would face off against the winner of the AL West.
AL Wild Card Rock Fight
Chicago White Sox (82-77) 9, Kansas City Royals (68-91) 1
The White Sox joined the Guardians in clinching their postseason berth, though in far more thrilling fashion than their AL Central counterparts. David Sandlin gave them six innings of one run ball with seven strikeouts, while his offense ambushed Randy Dobnak for six runs on six hits in the first two innings, the Royals starter recording just four outs. The Royals managed just one run on a Salvador Perez solo shot in the fourth, but they were already losing 8-0 by the time that ball flew over the wall.
Sam Antonacci, Kyle Teel, Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth, and Braden Montgomery all logged multi-hit efforts for Chicago, Teel going yard to lead off the fourth. Vargas, Andrew Benintendi, and Tristan Peters all drove in a pair on the night. Chicago remains a game behind the Guardians in the AL Central. Despite the possibility that they and the Astros finish the season with identical records and the Astros hold the tiebreaker in the season series, the White Sox winning the season series over the Guardians takes precedence in postseason seeding, guaranteeing the White Sox at worst the six-seed in the AL at the moment. It will be Chicago’s first trip to the postseason since 2021.
Texas Rangers (79-80) 3, New York Mets (73-86) 1
Every game is a must win for the Rangers at this point, and they kept their playoff hopes alive with a narrow win over the Mets in Arlington. Kumar Rocker gave them five innings of one run ball, the lone damage a Carson Benge RBI single in the first after Francisco Lindor led off the game with a double. Josh Jung responded in the bottom half of the frame with a two-run blast following Justin Foscue’s leadoff single. Corey Seager provided a crucial insurance run with a solo shot in the sixth, the Rangers bullpen combining to close the game with four shutout innings of one-hit ball.
With the White Sox winning their game over the Royals, the Rangers’ only path to making the postseason is by winning the division. They lost the season series to both the Astros and the White Sox, meaning if all three finish with identical records, Texas would be eliminated.
Houston Astros (79-80) 7, Athletics (63-96) 5
Astros rookie center fielder Lucas Spence had himself the game of a lifetime to keep the Astros tied by record with the Rangers atop the AL West. Despite entering the game with a .150 average and 26 wRC+, he almost singlehandedly won the game for Houston with a three-run blast in the second to open the scoring, the go-ahead solo shot in the seventh after the Athletics came roaring back, and his third homer of the night in the ninth to seal it — the first three home runs of his major league career.
It looked like the A’s would strike a dagger blow to the Astros’ postseason chances, Jeff McNeil and Zack Gelof going back-to-back in the third with a three-run homer and a solo shot, respectively, to take a 4-3 lead. However, Houston tied the game on an Isaac Paredes leadoff homer in the sixth followed by Spence’s second of the game an inning later. Christian Walker hit what turned out to be a necessary insurance solo shot in the seventh as Gelof hit his second solo bomb of the night in the eighth to keep it a one-run game.
Just like the Rangers, Houston can only make the postseason by winning the AL West. The Astros dominated the season series over Texas, winning nine games to the Rangers’ four, so they own the tiebreaker in the division if the teams end with identical records. With three games to go, the only race to determine playoff participants is the AL West battle between both Texas teams for first, though the AL’s fifth and sixth seeds could shift depending on results.
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 05: Los Angeles Dodgers cap and gloves rest on the dugout steps during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at LoanDepot Park, Miami, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How about your already championship-caliber team receiving the boost of one of baseball’s top prospects with their backs against the wall, fighting for the title in the highest level of minor-league ball? There was more behind the Comets’ turnaround to beat the Aviators in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series than the addition of Josue De Paula ahead of Game 2, but it certainly didn’t hurt their goals, joining an already stacked outfield.
Player of the Day
Although it took one of the better examples of a collective effort that you’ll see, particularly in a game of this magnitude, a special shout-out in this section to Zach Ehrhard is a must. The standout young outfielder finished this title-clinching win in a two-for-five performance; with it, the Comets’ leadoff bat managed to hit .500 in 12 at-bats in this Championship Series.
Wrapping up a marvelous campaign in Triple-A, Ehrhard was involved in three of his team’s five runs, scoring a pair and driving in one with a double—the only Comets hitter with multiple extra-base hits in a game in which they didn’t even need to hit a home run.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Although Cole Irvin was the starter, by all intents and purposes, the Comets treated this one like a bullpen game—removing the veteran southpaw after 2.1 scoreless innings and a little over 30 pitches—relying on a talented group that kept the zeroes on the board until the eighth. This standout performance included scoreless frames from Kyle Hurt and Bobby Miller.
By the time the Aviators got on the board with a pair of runs off Seth Halvorsen in the bottom of the eighth, the Comets were already up 5-0, carrying a commanding lead in this one from start to finish. On top of Ehrhard, whom we already mentioned, Mike Sirota once again showcased his incredible plate discipline this season with three walks in five plate appearances.
That first run of the game came from the veteran Ryan Fitzgerald, one of four Comets with multiple hits on the night. Since catcher Eliezer Alfonso—who was hitting right behind Fitzgerald in the lineup—reached base on a catcher’s interference in the ninth, every single Comets hitter would get on base at least once in this game.
De Paula, who had already contributed with a pair of walks in Game 2, got his first hit since his temporary return to the minors, including driving in the Comets’ fifth and final run.
May this be a little preview of the impact he can provide for the big league team, eventually back for a playoff role based on the immediate impact he brought to the squad.
Transactions
The Comets placed right-handed pitcher Ryder Ryan on the Development List.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 16: Brady House #12 of the Washington Nationals is tagged out by Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets to end the second inning at Citi Field on August 16, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (73-86) will wrap up their 2026 season against the Washington Nationals (75-84) in a battle for last place in the National League East (and, depending on how you look at it, either the chance to avoid the misfortune of finishing in the cellar or the opportunity to cement better lottery odds in the MLB Draft). The Mets own a 6-4 lead in the season series against their division counterparts this year, with the two sides splitting a four-game set at Nationals Park in May. The Mets have won four straight after dropping four of the first six.
The Mets had the opportunity to play spoiler against the Rangers and ran with it over their three-game set at Globe Life Field, and they mostly succeeded in putting a dent in Texas’ playoff hopes. They took two out of three which, combined with the Astros taking two of their last three games, put both Texas-based teams in a first-place tie at 79-80 (no, that is not a typo). With Houston holding the tiebreaker, that effectively means the Rangers are now in second place with three games to go. The Mets took the first three against old friends Jacob deGrom and Brandon Nimmo, with a 6-3 victory on Monday and a 7-2 win on Tuesday, before falling 3-1 in the finale to be denied a sweep. Still the win did get the Mets to 73 victories on the season, meaning that, at the very least, they would not reach 90 losses on the season, which was no sure thing given the 12-game losing streak in April.
One of the big blasts in the series with a pinch hit, ninth inning grand slam off the bat of Brett Baty. The blow came after the Rangers intentionally walked Juan Soto for the third time in the game, setting a new Mets’ club record for a single game. It was Baty’s second grand slam of the year, the most on the club, and continued a torrid stretch for the young infielder. Since August 1, Baty leads all Mets’ hitters with a 159 wRC+ while slashing .301/.383/.559 in 38 games—that OBP is also tops on the club since the start of August. His 23 runs batted in since August 1 are also tied for a club lead alongside Bo Bichette and Francisco Lindor. Baty, like many of the young players on the club, are fighting to prove they belong on the club next year, and with his late-season surge, he’s likely established some sort of role on the 2027 Mets (if not as a starter, then at the very least a super utility player, perhaps like a Jeff McNeil type who can slot into essentially any position when needed and will accumulate 400+ at-bats despite not having a solid starting role).
The big news that broke right before the first game of the series win was the announcement that Andy Green had been signed to manage the team for three years after serving as interim skipper since late June. Since taking over, Green has put together a 39-39 record, which some would argue is not nearly definitive or inspiring enough to offer Green the role without going through a formal interview process. However, all that aside, the players, both new and established, have really taken to Green and enjoy playing for him. He got a resounding vote of confidence from both Soto and Lindor, and Steve Gelbs, in a pre-game discussion on the hire, said one veteran Mets player called Green the best manager he’s ever played with. For a team looking for stability and dreading the idea of another offseason of upheaval, being able to establish this sort of stability before heading into an uncertain offseason is a big win. Whether Green’s honeymoon is prolonged or ends rather abruptly remains to be seen.
The Nationals enter this series after taking two of three from the Tigers, which followed their series win against the Cardinals. In all, they’ve won eight of their last 11 games, which has helped hold off the Mets and keep them in fourth place in the NL East. For the Mets to overtake Washington—New York does hold the tiebreaker, though the two clubs cannot finished tied unless a game is rained out and not made up—they would have to sweep the series. Losing any game this weekend would guarantee the Mets their first last place finish since 2003—I will point out that these two clubs tied for last place in 2020, though I am all for pretending 2020 did not exist.
James Wood is looking to wrap up a solid third year in the majors, one that saw him pick up his second straight All-Star nod. Wood missed some time with an oblique injury and just returned on September 2, and has struggled since his return, posting a 78 wRC+ with no home runs and a .242/.333/.303 slash line in 18 games. Comparatively, he leads the club with a 141 wRC+ for the whole season, with 30 home runs and a .262/.385/.505 slash line in 132 games. CJ Abrams is also wrapping up a terrific year, one that saw him make the All-Star team for the second time in his career, as he enters play hitting .262/.338/.500 while leading the club in home runs (33) and runs batted in (103) and placing second in runs scored (92). One thing to watch out for: light-hitting Nasim Nuñez sits at 49 stolen bases, and will very likely be gunning for number 5o during the weekend. Nuñez’s accomplished the feat despite posting a miniscule 52 wRC+ and slugging just .242 on the year, the lowest by any major league player with over 475 plate appearances since the 1973 season.
Friday, September 25: TBD vs. Andrew Alvarez, 6:45 PM EDT on WPIX
TBD
The Mets have not officially announced who will take Christian Scott’s spot on Friday, though it’s likely they go with either Justin Hagenman or a traditional bullpen game. Scott’s season came to an end when he was placed on the IL with left knee inflammation.
Alvarez is enjoying a really solid rookie campaign after a brief cup of coffee in the majors with Washington last year. The former 12th round pick has become one of Washington’s most dependable pitchers this year, making 16 starts and eight relief outings across his 108 innings. He has the third-best ERA among Nats pitchers, and his 2.99 ERA as a starting pitcher is the best on Washington’s staff. He is coming off two really strong starts in a row—his last time out, he pitched six shutout innings of five-hit ball against the Cardinals, and before that, he hurled seven one-hit innings against the Angels. Despite the positive result, he did not factor in the decision in either game. He struck out eight batters in each of those outings.
Saturday, September 26: Jonah Tong vs. Jake Irvin, 4:05 PM EDT on SNY
After one of the best starts of his young major league career, in which he allowed just one unearned run over six innings, Tong reverted back to his troubling trends and took a step back against the Phillies. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings against Philadelphia, allowing four earned runs on five hits to pick up the loss. He also walked four batters, which is unfortunate after he walked just one in each of his previous two starts. He ended up throwing 95 pitches, which is his most in any of his major league starts in 2026, and tossed 61% of those for strikes. Tong will look to make a positive final impression as he hopes to position himself for a spot in the club’s 2027 rotation.
Irvin has had another mediocre year for Washington, though he has pitched better as of late. His last start was one of his better ones this year, as he allowed two earned runs on three hits over 5 1/3 innings. The most encouraging sign was that he didn’t walk a batter while striking out eight. It’s his first time now allowing a walk since his start on April 25, which comes after he walked 13 across his previous four starts. The eight punch outs are also the second-most in a start this season. The Mets have faced Irvin twice this year and have put up seven runs (six earned) in ten innings against him, with the Mets winning both of those games.
Sunday, September 27: Sean Manaea vs. DJ Herz, 3:05 PM EDT on SNY
There was a point in Manaea’s outing against the Rangers when it seemed he might be heading for an early exit. He allowed three runs across the first four innings and struggled in the fourth, hitting two batters and loading the bases twice before allowing two runs. However, he buckled down and shut the door in the fifth and sixth innings, which positioned him for a win after New York re-took the lead in the sixth. In all, he allowed three earned runs on three hits, with nine strikeouts and two walks in six innings. The nine strikeouts were his second-most in a start. With Manaea under contract for one more year, his recent turnaround will give the team a lot to think about as they ponder the best way to use Manaea in 2027.
Herz made his season debut on September 21 after missing the entire 2025 season following Tommy John Surgery. The left-hander was slated to return earlier, but a flexor muscle train shut him down in June, and he finally recovered enough to make it back to the big league level after tossing 88 2/3 innings for Washington in 2024. In his first major league outing in almost two full years, Herz allowed four earned runs on five hits over four innings against the Tigers, which resulted in a loss. He struck out four, walked two, and threw 63 pitches in his return.
May 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) singles during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Yesterday afternoon, while the Orioles were enjoying their day off, they were eliminated from the postseason race. The Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-1 to clinch the third Wild Card spot. This was just a formality; the Orioles have been out of the race for a few weeks. I know this was a very frustrating year for the Orioles and a down year for the American League, but it’s still something that they were not eliminated until there were just four days left in the regular season.
Despite being eliminated, the Orioles have one final series to play. And they are playing another team with nothing to play for this weekend. Unfortunately, the New York Yankees have nothing to play for for the opposite reason as the Orioles. They have clinched the first Wild Card spot and have been eliminated from the AL East, so their spot in the playoffs is set in stone.
The Orioles have been terrible against the Yankees so far this year. Over the first three series of the season, they are 2-8 and have been swept twice. Even against a Yankees team will mostly be trying to stay healthy and set up for the Wild Card round, it would be nice to see the Orioles rise up and get a series win to finish off the year. Or heck, why not a sweep? After sweeping the Blue Jays to wrap up their home schedule, they could end the season on a six-game winning streak. A sweep would also get them back to .500. And while .500 is far from the goal for this team, it’s better than being a loser.
So what have the Yankees been up to since the Orioles last played them? After they beat the Orioles 6-1 to complete a sweep on August 20th, they have gone 19-12 to maintain their comfortable hold on that top WC spot. They were unable to make up any ground on the division-leading Rays.
The big news for the Yankees in September was the return of their star, Aaron Judge. Judge have been on the IL since May 31st with a broken rib. He was back in action on September 8th, but lasted just seven games before going back on the IL with an injured calf. There was a bit of a kerfuffle yesterday when Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Judge would not be ready for the Wild Card round. Judge didn’t like the declaration, but it does seem highly likely he won’t be playing in that series.
The Yankees have arguably the best starting rotation in the American League, led by Cam Schlittler (32 GS, 1.89 ERA) and Max Fried (20 GS, 2.80 ERA). Lefty Ryan Weathers has been quite good, but has been on the IL for about a month. And you know the rotation is deep when Gerrit Cole is the fourth guy I mention.
Despite spending most of the year without Judge, the Yankees offense is also up there near the top of the league. This is largely due to Ben Rice, whose power and on-base skills have flourished in his third big-league season. He is sitting on 41 home runs, which is tied with Pete Alonso and others for the top mark in the AL.
Games 1 & 2: Friday, Sept 25th, 4:05 PM
Where to watch: MASN/YES
With a major Nor’easter set to slam New York this weekend, MLB has elected to move Saturday’s game to Friday to avoid the inevitable rainout. It’s a smart move, and hopefully the storm won’t also affect Sunday’s game.
These games are being played as a single-admission doubleheader, which might make you compare the Orioles and their rainout this week against the Blue Jays. The Orioles opted to turn their final two home games into a split-admission doubleheader, charging fans twice if they wanted to see both games. The Yankees did no such thing. And I gotta say, when I read that I was a little irked. If the Yankees are making you look greedy in comparison, that’s a bad look.
With their spot in the postseason secure, the Yankees are playing it loose and have not announced any pitchers for this weekend’s series. I imagine that any regular Yankees starter you see will have a short tune up in preparation for the playoffs.
The Orioles have announced their pitchers. For game one, it will be Trevor Rogers, making what could be his final start as an Oriole. I hope not! Rogers is coming off of an incredible start against the Brewers. He held the best team in baseball to just one run on three hits. He pitched eight innings and struck out 10.
Game two’s starter will be Brandon Young. Young also had a nice start against the Brewers, a two-run, six-inning game with nine strikeouts. I half expected them to skip Young’s final start. But maybe it’ll be a short one. Albert Suárez is back with the Orioles for the final series.
Game 3: Sunday, Sept 27th, 3:20 pm
Where to watch: MASN/YES
Shane Baz will take the mound to close out the season for the Orioles. Baz got the win against Toronto on Monday with a 6.2 IP, three-run effort. Baz’s 4.11 ERA puts him at an exact average ERA+ of 100. Baz has done a pretty good job of proving he’s better than his numbers last year with the Rays. Since May 15th, his ERA is 3.66.
Baz has faced the Yankees twice this year. In May, he allowed five earned runs in 5.2 innings. In August, it was three runs in 6.1 innings. Better! He also struck out 10 that night.
How many games do you think the Orioles will win to close out the season?
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 22: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs and fans react to a run against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on September 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Josh Hader’s recent collapse against the Mariners illustrates just how shaky the Astros bullpen is heading into the postseason, writes Chandler Rome at The Athletic.
Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo threw a bullpen session yesterday and was feeling good enough that the team thinks he could be back for the postseason.
This is not surprising but good confirmation to have.
Dan Szymborski at Fangraphs did yet another statistical analysis on whether participation in the World Baseball Classic impacts regular season performance.
In recent years, it’s been extremely rare for a player who qualifies for the batting average title to go homerless in a season. Yet, the Rays’ Chandler Simpson is on track to do just that, writes Davy Andrews at Fangraphs.
Yes, pitchers really are throwing harder than they ever have before.
We need more Joey Vottos on television.
"The guy that used to hit .300, I'm sorry to tell you, is going to hit .240, .250 today. It just is what it is."@JoeyVotto breaks down why the league does not have more players like Luis Arraez and explains how baseball's evolution has led to that trend. pic.twitter.com/3C5fEUsv1s
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 9: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against the Miami Heat during the second half in their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on April 9, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors have high expectations. Immanuel Quickley could be the most important player in their quest to make a deep playoff run. Here are three reasons why:
Explosive Three-point Shooter
Among the litany of reasons why the 2018-19 roster was perfectly crafted to optimize Kawhi Leonard, none was arguably more important than the spacing he was provided on the offensive end. The Raptors finished with the sixth-best three-point percentage (36.6) and made the seventh-most three-pointers (1,015) that season.
Leonard was surrounded by capable shooters in Kyle Lowry (34.7 per cent), Danny Green (45.5 per cent), Pascal Siakam (36.9 per cent), and Marc Gasol (44.2 per cent). Norman Powell (40.0 per cent) and Fred VanVleet (37.8 per cent) were also blistering options off the bench.
Last season, Toronto finished 21st in three-point percentage. Quickley was undoubtedly the most prolific marksman in the starting lineup (37.4 percent) and the best volume shooter on the roster (2.5 threes made on 6.8 attempts).
With RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl expected to join Quickley and Leonard as projected starters, it’s paramount that Quickley becomes the elite knockdown shooter that he’s capable of being.
New Role, Better Fit
Quickley’s two full seasons in Toronto have differed in terms of on-ball responsibilities. In 2024-25, the point guard nearly matched the career-high in usage he set during his rookie year with the New York Knicks. But last year, playing alongside Brandon Ingram, the evolving Barnes, and the bulldozing Barrett, Quickley recorded a usage rate of 21.1, his lowest since 2022-23.
With Leonard incoming, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Quickley’s recent usage remain the status quo. During two of his best seasons as a pro with the Knicks, Quickley was assisted on 73 per cent of his made threes. He’s always been an electric catch-and-shoot player with dangerous range.
Quickley has undoubtedly grown as a pick-and-roll threat, and that part of his game will still be relied on. Lowry and VanVleet were often asked to run off the offence in extended spurts during the championship run. But if Quickley can consistently make teams pay off-ball, it’ll go a long way in supporting Leonard.
The right side of the ball
While Pat Beverley was telling a story about Leonard on a podcast, he offered some insight into the champion’s mindset. In response to the coaching staff asking him to switch on defence for a specific sequence, Beverley recalled Leonard saying: “If he can’t guard, then why is he in the game?”
The 2019 roster was arguably one of the greatest defensive teams of all-time. While this year’s roster has a few elite (yet growing) defensive minds, it also houses a few question marks. During the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers relentlessly attempted to hunt Barrett on switches. Teams are expected to try that with Quickley. To his credit, Quickley has been solid on the defensive side, particularly with his effort level and fight through screens. If Quickley can hold his own on a nightly basis, it’ll be a huge win for Toronto.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Willson Contreras #40 of Team Venezuela warms up during batting practice before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox begin the postseason on Tuesday and have scored just 5 runs over the last 5 games. In other words, now would be a great time for the team’s best offensive contributor to return to a lineup that desperately needs a spark. But unless a miracle happens over the weekend, things aren’t looking good. Willson Contreras took batting practice on Tuesday, only for his hand injury to worsen in the subsequent days. He’s still struggling to grip a bat and admitted to tearing up out of frustration. “I’m doing everything that I can to come back and play with the boys and be there with the boys,” he said. “But sometimes you have to listen to your body.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
At least Ceddanne Rafaela has returned. He should be able to give a little lift for the lineup, though he does present a conundrum for Chad Tracy, as the Sox now have too many outfielders and DHs to fit into the lineup at once. With Roman Anthony, Rafalea, and Wilyer Abreu essentially locked into starting spots, Tracy has to decide whether to prioritize Duran’s glove and legs over the platoon DH production of Mickey Gasper and Jahmai Jones. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
And all of this is occuring against the backdrop of this weekend’s storm. And if you think we’re done dealing with that now that MLB has moved Sunday’s game to today, we’re not. There is still a possibility that one or more of this weekend’s games is moved to Tropicana Field in St. Pete. (Conor Ryan, Boston.com)
With the depressing news about Contreras, the team could probably use a pep talk. If so, Pedro Martinez — as someone who still believed in this team in the darkness of May — is available. “I just feel good about approaching the Yankees this time around. And [the Red Sox] are young, yes. We don’t have the highest expectations about them, but man, for some reason, I just feel so positive,” said the right arm of God. “I just feel so excited that this young group of guys that we have out there are able to do something special. I don’t see anything wrong with these kids, and I don’t see why they shouldn’t give everybody knuckles. Not just the Yankees, but everybody.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
If the Sox are going to give everybody knuckles, then Ranger Suarez is probably going to be a part of it. The offseason signing has an outstanding postseason resume, and his final 2026 stats are more or less in line with the numbers he’d been putting up in Philadelphia, even if he sounds slightly disappointed in his performance. “Obviously I think I could have done better,” he said of his season. “But I was happy I was able to finish the season strong.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 24: Jose Ramirez #11 and Angel Martinez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate the win over the of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 24, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Cleveland Guardians secured a spot in the 2026 playoffs with the win over the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by CJ Gunther/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians celebrated a playoff berth last night with a 1-0 win over the Red Sox, but the White Sox beat the Royals so Cleveland’s division lead remains one game with three to play.
Zack Meisel wrote a fun article with different player’s perspectives on the journey to the playoffs.
The Astros and Rangers both won last night. I would say the Astros have the advantage to win the division because they have three left with the Athletics and Texas has three against the Twins.
The Padres have 89 wins, the Cubs 88, and the Phillies 87 heading into the final series of the season. The Diamondbacks are teetering on the edge of elimination with 85 wins. The Phillies hold the tiebreaker over the Padres and the Cubs hold the tiebreaker over the Padres and Phillies. The six seed in the NL will play Atlanta.
Heading into the final weekend of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, two divisions are still up for grabs and there's chaos in the National League wild card race.
Entering Friday's games, the Cleveland Guardians have a one-game lead on the Chicago White Sox (who have clinched at least a wild-card spot) in the American League Central, while the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are tied at 79-80 atop the AL West, with Houston holding the tiebreaker.
In the NL wild card, the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies are just about locked in for the three spots – but it's wide-open as to where the trio will finish in the standings. The Padres enter Friday with the best record of the three.
The MLB playoffs get underway on a Tuesday, Sept. 29 with quadruple-header featuring four wild card series games. The best-of-five division series begins Saturday, Oct. 3.
Here's the latest look at the postseason bracket and standings:
Entering play Friday, Sept. 25
MLB playoff bracket 2026
#-division champion; *clinched at least a wild card spot
Mercedes teammate takes pole by 0.837 from Leclerc
Kimi Antonelli was left ruing an uncharacteristic error in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix which eliminated the championship leader in the first session after he hit a wall in Baku. His Mercedes teammate George Russell claimed pole with a fine lap and will be in a strong position to make up ground in the title chase in Saturday’s race.
Antonelli leads Russell by 81 points in the world championship and has won the last two races but sat disconsolately trackside after only 11 minutes of running on Friday in Baku, when he was a little too eager into the 90-degree left-handed turn one and clipped the barrier.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 24: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a single against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on September 24, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, LSB.
The Rangers bounced back with a series salvaging and perhaps season salvaging win over the Mets.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made many roster moves on Thursday, now that their NHL pre-season has concluded. Ahead of their trip to Arizona for some off-ice bonding, the team sent down several players, rounding out the roster for opening night on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Among that bunch was Maple Leafs prospect and 19-year-old center Tinus Luc Koblar. Koblar was returned to the SHL and will be with Rogle for the 2026-27 season. The SHL regular season has already kicked off, with Rogle off to a 1-2-0 start after the first three outings.
Koblar being sent back to the SHL leads to some questions about how he performed at training camp, especially considering he was eligible to be assigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies for this season.
There is a rule that prevents 19-year-olds from playing in the American League unless they are a first-round pick. Koblar was selected in the second round of the 2025 draft. However, that ruling only applies to players who were drafted by major junior teams, and Koblar has only played in Europe to this point in his young hockey career.
At any rate, that decision should echo the type of training camp the youngster had in Toronto.
In terms of the pre-season action that anyone could see him in, he played in two of the two possible games.
His first game was at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday against the Canadiens. He had a minus-one rating and played 11:29 of ice time in that contest, playing the role of the fourth-line center and getting time on the second power-play unit.
In the second game, against the Ottawa Senators, at the Canadian Tire Centre, he had a minus-one rating again and logged 15:39 of ice time.
In other words, his performance in the pre-season wasn't anything to write home about, but nothing concerning either. But with that in mind, it's also not the full picture of NHL training camp.
What could carry more weight in the ultimate decision to send him back to Sweden is how he practised with the team, and in my eyes, there's definitely room for improvement. And that's the case with any young player, but this is what I gathered from the sessions in between the pre-season appearances.
Koblar skated with Group 2 throughout training camp. He was given an opportunity to play alongside some solid players, including Brendan Brisson and Vinni Lettieri, as well as power-play reps. The coaching staff made an effort to put him in a comfortable situation.
But from my perspective, and seeing every day of training camp, something was missing from the Norwegian.
At times, he stuck out like a sore thumb, either because of his still-developing skating ability or because he hadn't played much hockey in North America before this training camp. Whatever it was, it was evident in certain drills.
There was one part of a drill where Koblar was supposed to skate behind the net to pick up a puck from head coach Jim Hiller, but he had gotten a little lost for a split second, enough for the coach to tell him where to go in the middle of the action.
Once he got to the right spot behind the net, he couldn't fully control the puck, adding a few more seconds to his rep. He then grabbed whatever puck was nearby and went through the motion of the drill, finding a teammate waiting in front of the net to receive a pass from him.
It was just one niche moment of training camp and pre-season, a time to shake off the rust, but it was an awkward instance that Hiller had a premium view of.
There was a sense of Koblar being uncomfortable or not fitting in. Make no mistake, he competed and worked hard all training camp. But that altercation - as well as being a newcomer to the group, a 19-year-old, and not having much experience playing in North America - resulted in a camp that Koblar probably believes he could've done better.
Between the uncommon moments, Koblar showed signs of growth and potential to be a great player. Though his skating isn't the final form that it needs to be, it has improved from years prior. He also has a powerful shot and does utilize his 6-foot-3 frame to his advantage, especially along the walls.
Ultimately, Koblar is still a young, developing player, and there isn't immediate pressure for him to be an automatic difference-maker in the Maple Leafs' system.
He'll almost certainly get at least a spot on the Marlies next season when he's 20, and maybe an opportunity to challenge for an NHL roster spot in 2027-28, but who knows what the organization will look like then, or if Koblar is even still a member of the Maple Leafs.
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