LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia (51) delivers a pitch during the fifth inning of game four of NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Among the 2026 Dodgers set to hit free agency following the conclusion of the World Series, Tarik Skubal ranks among the top available options this offseason. The Dodgers will certainly be in the hunt for a reunion for the still-reigning two-time American League Cy Young award winner.
One of the more under-the-radar impending free agents is that of left-handed reliever Alex Vesia. Vesia has been with the team since being acquired from the Miami Marlins for Dylan Floro following the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series victory. Through the ups and downs, both on and off the field, Vesia had been one of the more reliable relief options for a wildly turbulent bullpen over the last six seasons.
With his future with the Dodgers now uncertain, Vesia took to his Instagram account where he thanked and expressed gratitude towards the fanbase.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I do want to say thank you to Dodger Nation for showing me so much love over the past 6 years, especially this year. I’m just a man on a mission!”
Should Vesia find a new home this offseason, he’ll finish with a combined 22-13 record with a 2.87 ERA over 328 regular season innings and a 1.59 ERA across 22 2/3 postseason innings as a Dodger.
One of the most prominent international free agents this offseason is 27-year-old outfielder Teruaki Sato. Sato will be posted after having an incredible season with the Hanshin Tigers, slashing .303/.383/.609 with 39 home runs and 106 RBI.
The Dodgers have notoriously dipped into the international free agent market over the last three offseasons, and they will be a team that has their eyes on Sato, per Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report.
One of those international signings was utility man Hyeseong Kim, and the Dodgers’ “Swiss Army knife” has failed to keep a stable role with the big league club over the last two seasons. Kim took the time to post to his Instagram account that he doesn’t regret signing with the Dodgers despite the lack of playing time, but he’s disappointed with the way he’s performed the last two years.
I love the Dodgers, and I have never once been disappointed in this team. It was my choice, and I haven’t regretted it for a single moment. My only disappointment was in myself. I have nothing but gratitude for the team and all the Dodgers fans!
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 5: David Robinson attends the game during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 5, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Monday, Spurs legend David Robinson joined Lauren Rosen and Sean Little on The Association. He spoke of the Spurs incredible 2025-2026 season, their return to the NBA Finals, and his experience watching the next generation of Spurs develop into championship contenders.
During the interview, The Admiral was asked about netting a historic quadruple-double. His 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks on February 17, 1994 was only the fourth recorded quadruple-double and the last time it occurred in the NBA. Over three decades later, Robinson feels that it is not a question of if Victor Wembanyama will join the list of players to tally the elusive statistic anomaly, but when.
There are also some great highlights of The Admiral in his heyday. You can never go wrong with the best of David Robinson.
I always love when Robinson speaks about the Spurs. He has such passion for the team and has really been through it all with the team. He is the foundation for so many wonderful aspects of the franchise, and the team’s ultimate ambassador.
Spurs dropped their first game, leaving them in dead last in the Western Conference with an 0-1 record. Hopefully just a humbling hot minute as the Spurs tweak the strategies that will best serve them over the long season.
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 24 : linesman Jonathan Deschamps #80 holds Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils and Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings apart after the end of the NHL regular season game at the Prudential Center on November 24, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 4-3. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
For much of the summer, former Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had made it clear that he only wanted to be traded to a small handful of NHL contenders in the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Vegas Golden Knights.
Florida had spent most of their remaining trade assets to unite the Tkachuk brothers in Florida. Vegas was already short on tradable assets thanks in part to previous moves they had made to bolster a roster than went to the Cup Final last season. And Minnesota, seemingly the last man standing on Larkin’s original list, couldn’t agree to terms with Detroit on a trade. As a result, Larkin has remained in Detroit to start the season despite his trade request.
Larkin is a player that I have long thought makes sense for the Devils as adding him down the middle would give the Devils as good a 1-2-3 punch at center as anyone in the league. And make no mistake, you NEED to have a legitimate 1-2-3 down the middle if you want to be considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. But I never really thought it was worth taking the time to discuss the idea as Larkin seemingly didn’t have any interest in waiving his no-trade clause to come to New Jersey.
Things have since changed.
Reputable Red Wings beat reporter Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reported on Tuesday that Larkin has expanded his list of preferred destinations to ten teams. Along with the aforementioned three teams, joining his list now are the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Mammoth, Washington Capitals…..and yes, the New Jersey Devils.
Larkin is reportedly willing to come to New Jersey. But should New Jersey even want him, and if they did, what would a trade even look like?
Why the Devils Should Want Larkin
Larkin, who turned 30 over the summer, is a two-way center who plays in all situations. He’s a perennial 30 goal scorer, having reached that mark in each of the last five seasons. I wouldn’t say he’s a 1:1 direct comparable player to Nico Hischier, but the two share many similarities in how they play the game. Similar frames, similar production. Both had been leaders on their respective clubs. Both play in all situations. Both win a lot of faceoffs.
Interestingly enough though, I do think Larkin brings some things to the table that this Devils team lacks. Larkin historically has not had issues finishing around the net, which can’t be said about most of the forwards on the Devils roster. He has what I would call a deceptively heavy shot where it doesn’t look like he’s getting a ton on it but he’s capable of beating opposing goaltenders clean from the high slot and/or top of the circle. His backhand shot is underrated, as is his ability to pick corners. I also think he is a good enough skater where he’d be a fit for the style and brand of hockey the Devils are looking to play attacking off the rush, although his boots will likely decline some as he continues to get older.
Signed through the end of the 2030-31 season, Larkin has four more seasons remaining on his deal after this one at $8.7M AAV. I think that last point is also key when talking about Larkin. This is a salary cap league where the cap is continually rising. While it’s true that Larkin is signed through his age 35 season, that $8.7M cap charge is a relatively low number for a Top Six caliber center. That number is only going to continue to look better and better as the cap increases further, and from a Devils perspective, you’d be talking about a team that is set down the middle with Hischier ($11.7M AAV through 2032), Jack Hughes ($8M AAV through 2030), and potentially Larkin through the end of the decade.
I do think there are two things worth mentioning with Larkin. First, the Devils did try to acquire a center this offseason with the Barrett Hayton offer sheet that Utah ultimately matched. The Devils ultimately pivoted and went in a different direction, but I wouldn’t discount Sunny Mehta recognizing the importance of the position and the need to address it. The other thing that is worth mentioning is that both of the Devils bottom six centers in Evan Rodrigues and Cody Glass are slated to hit UFA this summer.
I also think when it comes to discussing Dylan Larkin, its worth bringing up the elephant in the room.
Larkin was a key member of the US Olympic hockey team, as was Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes. Larkin also is close to the Hughes brothers in general, having spent a bunch of time with them over the summer. Larkin and Quinn are close enough to the point where when I wrote about it this summer, I thought if Larkin wound up in Minnesota that that might be enough to convince Quinn Hughes to stay there.
I wouldn’t suggest that the Devils trade for a specific player because it might make another player more likely to sign with them in the summer. That said, the Devils need to be cognizant of the fact that this is an arms race. It’s the player empowerment era. Either you adapt and load up on star players who want to come play for you, or you don’t and you get left behind. Either you be aggressive now when it comes to team building, or you wonder what the heck just happened if and when Jack Hughes is the next Team USA star to consider his options elsewhere.
Part of the reason why Larkin wanted to go to Minnesota in the first place was to play with Quinn Hughes. I would guess part of the reason why he’s open to the idea of coming to New Jersey is to play with Jack and Luke Hughes. The Devils should embrace that and beat Minnesota to the punch by exploring a Larkin trade. And if it just so happens that adding Larkin is the move that ultimately pushes Quinn Hughes to New Jersey next summer to join his brothers, I fail to see how that’s a bad thing. If good players want to play for you, you find a way to make it happen and then worry about making it all work from a cap perspective down the road.
Speaking of beating teams to the punch, the Devils would also be smart to be aggressive here and keep Larkin away from a Carolina team they’ve struggled to beat and a Washington team that had their way with them the other day. Especially when those are the two teams most likely to finish 1-2 in the Metropolitan Division this season.
What Could A Realistic Trade Look Like?
It’s not often you see Top Six centers traded in the NHL, let alone centers under contract for another half decade. But if there is a trade that could potentially be used as a comparable, maybe we look as far back as the Jack Eichel trade for one.
Eichel, who wanted out of Buffalo in part because of a disagreement over how to treat his neck injury but also because of Buffalo’s track record as a perennial loser, had been stripped of the captaincy. He also had four plus years remaining on his contract at the time and was five years younger than Larkin is now.
Vegas ultimately agreed to terms on a trade, sending Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a first round pick, and a future second round pick in exchange for Eichel and a third.
Tuch was the established NHL player Buffalo got back, having scored 139 points in 249 games over four seasons with the Golden Knights. Krebs, then a top prospect, didn’t really get a chance to establish himself in Vegas as he was the “young prospect with upside” piece of this deal, but has since become a fixture in the Sabres lineup. Add in a first round pick (that eventually became Noah Ostlund) and a future second rounder and Buffalo probably did as well as could reasonably be expected given the circumstances at the time. After all, Eichel didn’t want to be there anymore and they were working against the clock as he had a NMC slated to kick in the next offseason, which would’ve only further limited the market and return.
The market is what the market is though. Eichel was legitimately injured at the time and I’m sure Buffalo wasn’t the only team scared off by the surgery that Eichel preferred at the time, which probably limited the market to some extent. Centers are in high demand and short supply, particularly those on contracts that may be deemed team-friendly. Still, I think this is a reasonable deal that can be used as a framework for a potential Larkin deal.
Dawson Mercer would seem to be the obvious fit as the “Alex Tuch, established NHL player” piece of this deal. This isn’t me saying that Dawson Mercer is as good as or better than Alex Tuch, as I don’t believe that to be the case. But he is an NHL player, albeit a flawed one, and may or may not be a piece Detroit would want in return. The Devils wouldn’t be able to make a deal anyways without moving some money out so Mercer’s $4M salary would almost have to go the other way. Now, if I were Detroit, I’d probably prefer Arseny Gritsyuk over Mercer, but that would be one where if I were Sunny Mehta, I’d push back on and say no.
I do struggle to find the top prospect fit, but I would guess the first few players Detroit would ask for are Anton Silaev, Alexander Command, and Mikhail Yegorov. I don’t think the draft picks would be much of a concern, especially since the Devils still have the extra first rounder remaining from the Simon Nemec trade, but there are reasons why the Devils should want to hold on to each of those prospects. I wouldn’t go as far as to say they should be off-limits but I do think those are players Detroit would ask about. I don’t know if an injured Seamus Casey or a Lenni Hameenaho moves the needle much in this particular case.
One potential complicating factor though is cap space, as the Devils simply don’t have a whole lot of it at the moment. Attaching Stefan Noesen or Cody Glass to this deal wouldn’t create enough space for the Devils to fit Larkin in. Adding Anthony Mantha or Brenden Dillon would create enough space, but I don’t know why Detroit would want players in their 30s for Larkin. I also don’t think its realistic to ask Detroit to retain cap space on Larkin to drop the cap hit down, as they’re probably not going to want salary retention on their books for five years.
I don’t know if a deal centered around Mercer, Command, and future picks is quite enough to get it over the finish line, particularly when compared to other teams best offers, but I do think its at least a starting point where the Red Wings aren’t hanging up the phone when Sunny Mehta calls. Sunny would likely need to get creative though in terms of making the cap work, which would likely involve looping in a third team to take some salary off of the Devils books. He may also need to get creative in finding the right pieces Detroit would want back to get them to say yes.
Final Thoughts
Sunny Mehta has previously said that his job trying to improve the Devils is never done. So I do think that with the Devils on Larkin’s list, they should at least explore the idea of bringing him in.
I get that some might be put off by Larkin’s public trade request, but I do think it is ultimately coming from a desire to be on a winning team and/or him being sick of losing. The Devils still have work to do in that respect to show that they’re not that type of team, but they are coming off a very good win against Colorado and have a lot of runway this season to show they’re not Detroit.
The Larkin to the Devils fit isn’t necessarily seamless, but its tough to argue that the Devils wouldn’t be a better team with Larkin. Larkin would give the Devils another legitimate top six option and more flexibility to juggle the lineup as they see fit. Maybe on some nights, that’s having Jack on the wing with Nico or Larkin. Maybe it’s having an embarrassment of riches down the middle with Larkin centering Mantha and Brown on the third line. I don’t know how Sheldon Keefe will make the pieces work, but I’d rather have the problem of having too many good players than not having enough.
Larkin is a valuable enough piece though between his contract and versatility as a player where it might be worth overpaying to acquire him. I can’t stress enough how difficult it is to find quality centers, and while Larkin isn’t Connor McDavid, he’s far from being a scrub either. You can’t go out into free agency and buy a Dylan Larkin, and if you were trying to do so in 2026, it would cost far more than the $8.7M AAV he’s currently making.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks "3 Standouts From The Game." In this recurring series, The Hockey News' Canucks team will do a deep dive into three standouts from Vancouver's last game. This article will focus on the Canucks' most recent 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Leevi Meriläinen
Another night, another standout performance by Leevi Meriläinen. The Finnish goaltender kept Vancouver in this game as he stopped 37 of the 42 shots he faced. Meriläinen's best moment came in the second period as he stopped Sebastian Aho on a penalty shot to keep the score at 3-3.
Meriläinen was busy all night. Carolina recorded at least double-digit shots in each period, with their lowest total at 12, which came in the first. With the way Meriläinen has been playing, the Canucks are going to be put in a difficult position once Thatcher Demko returns from injury.
Defenceman Elias Pettersson
Tuesday was another stellar performance from defenceman Elias Pettersson. The 22-year-old was a shot-blocking machine as he led all players on either team with five. Pettersson was also physical throughout, as he led Vancouver with four hits.
Pettersson has been the Canucks' best defenceman so far this season. He is finding different ways to impact the game, which has led to increased minutes on a nightly basis. If Pettersson can keep performing at this level, he is going to be a top-four defenceman at the NHL level for a long time.
Max Sasson
Max Sasson continues to develop into a strong bottom-six forward. The 26-year-old scored his third of the campaign and was tied for the team lead with three shots. Sasson was also solid in the faceoff dot as he won eight of his 13 draws.
Tuesday was another example of Sasson using his speed to create chances. He created chances off the rush, which included his second-period goal. Sasson also played a crucial role on the penalty kill, which went a perfect five-for-five, as he logged 3:39 of shorthanded time in this game.
Oct 20, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Leevi Merilainen (31) defends against Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images
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On a positive note, Lamkin bounced back with a nice performance on October 15th against the Glendale Desert Dogs. After giving up five runs in three innings in his AFL debut, he allowed only one run in four innings in this latest outing.
Lamkin did an excellent job of generating whiffs (30.8% whiff rate) and minimizing hard contact (.311 xwOBACON), which was his MO in Quad Cities and Northwest Arkansas last year and at Texas A&M previously. That said, his stuff hasn’t profiled well so far this fall, via TJ Stuff+ metrics. In his last outing, he had an 88 TJ Stuff+ overall, including an 81 TJ Stuff+ on his four-seamer, which is EXTREMELY subpar.
Tendering Michael Massey a contract this offseason is a must for the Royals front office. In his second year of arbitration and after an impressive comeback season in 2026, Massey is projected to earn between $3.2 and $3.5 million in 2027. For a team looking to get back into the playoffs and valuing high-quality defensive play, tendering Massey a contract in this range would be a great bargain for Gold Glove talent.
Massey does offer above-average offensive production for a traditionally weak-hitting position. Among all American League second basemen in 2026 with 450 or more plate appearances, he finished 3rd in batting average (.272) and 4th in slugging percentage (.428). High-level two-way middle infielders are difficult and expensive to acquire on the open market. Letting a player like Massey walk over a modest $3 million contract would be a step backward for the organization.
The 35-year-old southpaw does not overpower hitters with his velocity, averaging 91 mph on his fastball, according to Statcast. Instead, he relies on a simplified pitch mix consisting of a slider, four-seam fastball and sinker, with the slider accounting for the majority of his pitches.
With this pitch mix, Okert finished the season with a 30.9% whiff rate and a 26.1% strikeout rate while limiting walks with a 5.4% walk rate. As mentioned, he does not rely primarily on his fastball. His breaking-pitch run value was 11, ranking in the 95th percentile.
Okert could address several of the Royals’ bullpen issues and would be a significant addition if Kansas City were to sign him this offseason.
Weaver pitched 19.1 innings for Kansas City in 2022, striking out 19 batters and posting a 5.59 ERA. While those figures don’t seem like anything worth being excited about, the 33-year-old right-hander had two dominant full seasons with the New York Yankees until his departure across town in free agency during the 2025 offseason.
Despite his impressive 1.84 ERA with the Mets, he would have to find a new home once again as he was traded to Pittsburgh at the deadline. Even though Weaver regressed to a 4.96 ERA through 18 games in a Pirates uniform, he still deserves consideration, especially for the Royals who could use reinforcements with starters Cole Ragans and Stephen Kolek continuing to recover from injuries.
Witt fell short of 25 home runs for a second straight year, and what’s worse were his 54 RBI (in only 143 games, but still). His data set remains impeccable, and you know he’ll be a big plus in batting average, stolen bases and runs. But he doesn’t feel like as distant of a No. 1 as he once did.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 05: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees looks on during Game Two of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 5, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In the abstract, if you had told me going into the season that Jazz Chisholm, Jr. would hit 19 home runs, steal 40 bags, and be the second-most valuable second baseman in the American League by FanGraphs WAR, I probably would have signed up for that in a heartbeat (while complaining about the lack of power).
And that’s an excellent example of how cherry-picked statistics are the world’s most malleable clay. You can paint any picture you want with them. I apologize for mixing my metaphor. Anyway, the story of Jazz Chisholm, Jr.’s season is more complicated than that and even more disappointing. And uglier than a pair of used bowling shoes, to boot, at least offensively.
With his free agency looming, we’ve probably seen the last of Jazz in pinstripes. If nothing else, he was an exceptionally fun and likeable player when things are going well.
In hindsight, maybe this season was doomed to failure when Jazz proclaimed his mission to go 50-50 in his walk year and earn a $300 million-plus free agent contract. Talk about setting an unreasonably high bar by which to be judged. To be fair, he’d clubbed 31 round-trippers and swiped the same number of bags the season prior, all while missing more than a month worth of games. After becoming the third Yankee in history to go 30-30 in that smaller sample, some optimism was not unwarranted heading into 2026.
But it was quickly apparent that Jazz wasn’t going to have anything close to a 50-50 season. A putrid start to the season left him barely north of the Mendoza Line (.202 BA) with almost no power (3 HR and a .330 SLG) by the end of April. As late as April 23rd, he languished at .188 with zero home runs. Once that start baked in, the only question was whether Chisholm could begin the slow climb to respectability.
May made us wonder. “So you’re saying there’s a chance.” Easily Jazz’s best stretch of the season offensively, it looked like maybe he could climb the mountain after all. The power still was not there (3 HR for the month) but he drastically cut his strikeout rate and his batting average for the month was 80 points higher than it was in the opening month-plus of the season. Little did we know, we’d seen the best 2026 Jazz had to offer.
The rest of the season was a testament to mediocrity offensively, as Chisholm spent months flirting with league average at the plate. To add injury to underperformance, a sprained thumb in September cost him two weeks.
In retrospect, a look under the hood from the year before makes Jazz’s 2026 a lot less surprising. Even as he went 30-30 in 2025, the batted-ball data was less than ideal. He didn’t hit the ball hard (35th percentile average exit velo), he didn’t square the ball up (8th percentile Squared-Up%), and there was entirely too much swing-and-miss in his game (7th percentile Whiff% and 8th percentile K%). In 2026, his batted-ball metrics cratered.
This is not to say Jazz’s entire season was a catastrophe. Again, his baserunning and fielding value were such that, at least according to FanGraphs, he was the second-best player at his position in the Junior Circuit in 2026. That is off little solace to Jazz, the Yankees, and New York fans, however, considering his 2025 campaign and the tantalizing possibility he could put together a spectacular walk year.
Speaking of free agency, Chisholm is eligible to receive the qualifying offer from the Yankees. If they chose to tender one and Chisholm accepted, they would be on the hook for $23.15 million for 2027. I suspect though that the Yankees will pass. First, they seemed to reveal their confidence in Chisholm (or specifically, their lack thereof) when they had him riding pine to begin Game 3 of the ALDS versus the Rays. If you’re not starting him over one of Anthony Volpe and José Caballero, you’re not giving him $23 million in 2027.
Second, it would likely be entirely too tempting for Jazz to say yes. As Chris Kirschner remarked in The Athletic yesterday, “he could accept it and try to reset his market entering the 2028 free-agent class.”
Personally, I am of two minds. On one hand, Chisholm plays way too much Yankee Baseball (boneheaded errors, TOOTBLANs, the baseball awareness of a literal baseball). I’ve had enough of that for a lifetime.
On the other, if you subscribe to the old axiom that 1 WAR is worth somewhere between $8-11 million in free agency, his 2026 (perhaps his worst offensive season) had a value between $28-38.5 million because of his defensive and baserunning value.
For what it’s worth, in a vacuum, I’d lean towards tendering him the QO. If he declines, great. I’ll take the draft pick. If he accepts, great. I’ll plug him into the bottom of the lineup and focus my attention on other pressing roster issues (side-eyes third base, the bullpen, and backup catcher). Someone has to play second base anyway.
But it’s all hypothetical for me. In reality, I suspect we have seen the last of Jazz in the Bronx. Ah well. We’ll always have that time he borrowed Judge’s lumber to crush a clutch go-ahead home run against Cleveland.
See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Well, we finally know what our World Series matchup will be, and it won’t be featuring the Cubs’ 2016 foes, the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland was bested by the Tampa Bay Rays in six games, despite taking an early series lead, they simply couldn’t overcome the Rays. Now we’ll be watching a very intriguing small-market matchup of the Rays versus the Milwaukee Brewers. And while it would have been nicer to see a different NL Central team in the World Series, I suppose it’s too late to change it now.
This should make for a very fun match to watch over the coming week as we wait to see who will reign supreme. In the meantime, we’ve got lots of postseason discussion and other fun tidbits to get you through your Wednesday, so let’s just jump right into it.
Cade Smith, after giving up a HR to Junior Caminero then watching him take his time around the bases while celebrating in an exaggerated manner: “It's not my style but I guess if I don’t like it, I shouldn’t give up home runs.”
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 12: Jorge Mateo #9 of the Tampa Bay Rays sits in the dugout prior to Game One of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Series doesn’t start until Friday, meaning the baseball world doesn’t have much to do in the meantime.
Sports fans do at least have a couple of NHL games to watch today while the NBA season officially started last night. Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets don’t start until Thursday.
So, in the meantime, we are left searching for any sort of action. If you get the chance, try to catch an Arizona Fall League game online where you just might see Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) hit a home run.
Otherwise, it’s just perusing the internet for news and content, which is what brings us here today. So, without further ado, here are a bit of rumblings going on for the Rockies and MLB!
Scott Roche pinpoints Willi Castro as an intriguing piece that the Rockies could dangle as trade bait to teams. I like what Castro did for the Rockies this year, but he really is a decent piece that could net a modest little return.
Ben Clemens voted for the Fielding Bible Awards and reveals how he voted at each infield position, ranking five players. TJ Rumfield gets a mention at No. 5 on his first baseman list.
Cade Lalim highlights top players hitting arbitration for the first time this season, and coming in at No. 4 is Hunter Goodman, who is bound for a nice little payday.
This week, Evan Lang and I discuss the Rockies’ decision to fire Alon Leichman after just one year as the pitching coach. We then talk about the Gold Glove nomination of TJ Rumfield followed by talking about Tyler Freeman becoming a free agent. Finally, the Dodgers are out of the playoffs, and we celebrate what should be a fun World Series!
Also, if you weren’t aware, our podcast is available on YouTube!
The Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays don’t face off until Friday, so in the meantime, some of the writers over at MLB.com provide a bit of info to help you out with some helpful facts and info.
Karl Rasmussen runs through the mistake for each team eliminated from the playoffs. Most of it boiled down to how the managers utilized their pitching staffs.
In a rare instance, baseball executives sided with disgruntled fans after a number of Timeless Ticket holders (a program where 1,000 people could pay $1,000 for a ticket to sit in the best available seats at any future home game, including the postseason). Fans trying to redeem it for the World Series were offered seats in the fourth-level or standing-room-only seats, which isn’t exactly the best type available. The Brewers decided those fans that tried to redeem can attend the World Series in those seats while still holding onto the Timeless Ticket to be used in the future.
I used to love watching Intentional Talk on MLB Network in my later days of high school when we had the channel. However, I haven’t watched since Chris Rose was kicked off the show, and I also don’t have access to the channel. Still, it’s sad to see a staple of MLB Network end.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 30: Vance Honeycutt #25 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the 2026 Arizona Fall League media day at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Anyone could be forgiven for having written off Vance Honeycutt heading into the 2026 season. His was a familiar story: Late first-round pick runs into a speedbump in his development and never recovers. In Honeycutt’s particular case, the speedbump was one that any draft evaluator would not have been surprised to see in the road. The guy struck out too much. He’s always struck out too much. Surprisingly, even in the middle of a season where he spent most of it failing in predictable ways, Honeycutt ended up having a 2026 campaign that’s at least worth some discussion.
The interesting part started in spring training. Although the Orioles did not invite Honeycutt to major league camp, they kept bringing him over to hang around as a “just in case” guy who might get an at-bat later in games, especially early in spring training. They put him in a game and he hit a homer. Fast forward some days and they put him in and he hit a homer.
This didn’t happen just once or even twice. Honeycutt took ten at-bats over ten spring games and he hit four home runs, leading all O’s in Grapefruit League action. Even a hard-hearted non-believer like me couldn’t help but wonder, what if something interesting clicked over the offseason?
The Orioles assigned Honeycutt to High-A Frederick to start the season, the same level that he played all last season while striking out an eye-popping 40.9% of the time. It was apparent that nothing had changed. By the end of June, he was batting .190/.282/.360 with a 42.4% strikeout rate. Nothing much else to see here. Right? Bust. Move on. Maybe think harder about drafting such a high-risk guy with a first round pick next time.
Except, actually, some things had changed. That’s an ugly batting line. There’s no getting around that. It was better than 2025 in this way: Honeycutt was actually hitting home runs for the first time as a professional. He cracked ten homers in 63 games with Frederick after hitting just five in 101 games with Aberdeen a year ago. Add in continually intriguing speed – he stole 28 bases in 32 attempts – and reports on his defense that remain incredibly positive about his being able to play center field at a high level.
What’s interesting about this compared to before is that, before he wasn’t even showing some of his strengths while having terrible overall numbers. There was nothing redeemable at all. Now, he’s at least putting a good foot forward, sometimes, which creates more of a tantalizing possibility of, what if he can mitigate his flaws just enough to be a good player?
It’s hard to quit on a guy like that, especially at a point in his pro career where there’s little downside to letting him keep trying. If only there could be something figured out to cut down the swing-and-miss… the Orioles player development people must have been thinking about this a lot. As they should have been! Developing Honeycutt into a 20/20 HR/SB center fielder – if you could ever be optimistic enough, maybe even 30/30 – who plays strong defense would be a huge coup for the team.
In July, Honeycutt was placed on the injured list with an oblique injury. I figured that was probably the end of it. He would come back from that, nothing would be different, and he could be written off.
The Orioles thought otherwise. Not long after Honeycutt returned from the injured list, despite absolutely nothing about his overall High-A performance seeming to warrant it, the team gave Honeycutt a promotion to the Double-A level, giving him the chance to play the last month with Chesapeake. There, in defiance of everyone who gave up on him, Honeycutt made things interesting again. Over 20 games with the Baysox, he hit five homers and batted .288/.381/.616, with a perfectly-livable strikeout rate of 25%.
What the heck was going on there? Could there be any possibility of that being something real? The Athletic’s Keith Law wrote a little later that Honeycutt had apparently done some work with a hitting instructor outside the organization when he was on the injured list. So, maybe something did get figured out, something that the Orioles development people were incapable of figuring out. Or maybe it has nothing much to do with anything. I am very curious what newly-hired general manager Jared Banner, and the people Banner helps to hire, is going to make of this situation.
I’ve put off writing about Honeycutt until last for me in this prospect series, because Honeycutt is out in the Arizona Fall League. Maybe there would be something interesting to say about him! Alas, he has only played in eight games. That’s a small sample size even by AFL standards. He’s homered three times and stolen three bases in those games, which is nice for him. He is striking out a lot, though less than his times of total failure. It adds up to a .217/.457/.652 batting line.
The AFL schedule will be ongoing through November 14, so maybe there will be a little more worth saying about Honeycutt by then. Or maybe he will continue roughly on this path: A low batting average while walking a lot, hitting for power, and striking out a lot.
What a confusing guy. That he’s at least become interesting to be confusing is, actually, an improvement for him compared to what Honeycutt was before this season. It still doesn’t mean he’s on track to be a real prospect, or even a half-decent prospect. There are a lot of outfield prospects coming up from below. If they catch up and start going by him, there probably won’t be anything to say about Honeycutt beyond right now.
CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 16: Kevin Durant #35 of Team LeBron gets ready in the locker room before the 2019 NBA All-Star Practice and Media Availability on February 16, 2019 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Almost two months ago, we announced the release of our new app, which you can find here or by searching SB Nation in your neighborhood app store. The app is available in North America, and we’re working on Europe and the rest of the world as we speak!
Quite a few of you have downloaded it over the past seven weeks and have been using it, but because we were at the quietest part of the NBA offseason, it’s also entirely possible a few of you missed it!
The goal with this app was to make it easier to join the community, and specifically comment, read the comments, and make your own posts, as well as keeping all the community posts – articles on the front page, Feed posts from you – front and center.
One of the most exciting new features is the game chat, which some of you may have already test-driven during the preseason. It makes it easier to follow along with the barrage of comments that come during games, and gets to the heart of why so many of you spend time in our community. Faster loading comments and notifications when someone replies to your comments and Feed posts are creating a more fun experience that you’re not going to find anywhere else.
We also wanted to elevate the community’s contributions by putting your Feed posts inside one stream alongside all the other articles from the site. To that end, more people have seen your posts and more people have commented on them. In fact, we’ve set single-day commenting records three different times in the last several weeks.
And if you prefer just reading our traditional front page articles, there’s an option at the top to do that.
So, thanks for making us part of your routine. If you haven’t checked it out, you can get the app for iOS or Android. And if you’re not an app user, that’s OK! We’re glad to have you following along in whatever way makes you most comfortable.
NBA fans, game day is better on the SB Nation app!
React to every crossover, alley-oop, and block alongside fellow basketball fans in real time.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 22: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty (2) skates in the preseason NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on September 22, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins split their two games in Cleveland last weekend, dropping a 4-2 contest and then winning a 6-3 game on the rematch. Overall the Pens are 3-2-1 on the season and among the AHL leaders in goals (25).
Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas had some insight from his radio show on Oct 14th about the slow start for WBS (0-1-1 in the first two)
“The team was really good last year and you have guys that they feel they’re too good for the level and they go down and it’s hard,” Dubas said. “So the two home games, I don’t think the team played overly well in either.”
Dubas didn’t name names, though it’s not difficult to fill in the gaps for the natural disappointment players will feel when getting re-assigned to the minor leagues instead of sticking in the NHL. Take Rutger McGroarty, who started out with no points in the first two losses and now has nine points in the last four games. Harrison Brunicke only has two assists in the first six games, Owen Pickering has one goal, though generating offense from the blueline at the AHL level can be variable. Joel Blomqvist didn’t have the greatest of openers. McGroarty talked to Inside AHL Hockey about focusing on improving at the AHL level.
"I think that we're here right now. We're in Wilkes-Barre. We're playing in the AHL."
"You can't sit there & pout. You just have to continue to progress forward & continue to work on the little details," – Rutger McGroarty to @InsideAHLHockey ⤵️https://t.co/oEZixhTM0m
Avery Hayes had two points in the first two games and has continued to go up from there with seven points in his last four games. Broz is at a point-per-game through the opening six games. Hayes and McGroarty with nine points a piece are among the league scoring leaders, currently tied for seventh.
That will be exactly what Dubas and the Pittsburgh front office wants to see from younger players like that to give reasons for why they shouldn’t be in the AHL. If and when those players make enough of a case, it will eventually result in them getting NHL opportunities.
Here’s the game recaps from WBSPenguins.com
Overall, the Pens have to be happy with some of their more developmental players who are AHL rookies. Mikhail Ilyin has seven points (2G+5A) in his first full AHL season. Bill Zonnon has five points in six games (3G+2A) and defenseman Jake Livanavage has five points (1G+4A) in five games.
A caveat issued to an injured Steve Smith aside, an old foe has branded Australia’s batting performance at St George’s Park on Wednesday “pretty gutless”.
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 16: CJ McCollum #3 of the Atlanta Hawks walks to the bench during a preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on October 16, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CJ McCollum happened to be one of the biggest additions for the Atlanta Hawks last season, and once he was inserted into the starting lineup, they became a top-tier team. They had the best net rating in the second half of the season, and it led them to the No. 6 seed and a playoff spot.
McCollum’s shot creation was a big key to the Hawks’ success, but it was evident after Game 3 of the first round that he needed more help in that department. They were able to do that in the offseason, and life may be easy for him coming into this season.
The good thing is that this will be another year for McCollum to build with the team, and having a full training camp under his belt should be beneficial.
“I got traded in January. I got here, met the team on a road trip, and kind of jumped right into the season, which was difficult, but I think I’m most excited about being able to go through a full training camp,” McCollum said at Media Day.
McCollum is the oldest player on the Hawks, and he’ll probably still be one of the most relied-on players on the Hawks. Though they’ve added some help in the creation department, and Jalen Johnson looks to have taken another step, McCollum is still set to have the ball in his hands most of the time.
Another area where McCollum seemed to have a good season with the Hawks is on defense. He was never known as the defensive type, but he did his job last season, and Quin Snyder has never been shy of letting everyone know.
“I think he was one of the guys who embraced the defensive mindset,“ Syder said at Media Day.
McCollum was in all of the closing lineups for the Hawks last season, but that may not be the case this time around. In the event that they do need stronger defense on the floor, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Dort took his place down the stretch in some games. At the same time, if the Hawks are still missing some juice on offense, McCollum will continue to be in those lineups.
It’ll also be interesting to see how Snyder plans on managing McCollum’s minutes this season, and if he plans to at all. At age 35, it wouldn’t hurt to have him under 30 minutes again, which is what he averaged in 41 games last season with the team.
McCollum might also find himself in a teacher role this season as well, lending a hand to Kingston Flemings in his rookie season.
It should be another solid season for the veteran guard, and he’ll have a big impact on their success.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 18: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors drives past Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on March 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After licking their wounds from the lost series against the Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors fans have had to wait through the agonizing months of the Kawhi Leonard trade saga, all for what comes later today. The start of the 2026-27 NBA season.
The Raptors have been granted an interesting matchup to start off the campaign, against the new-look Chicago Bulls. Chicago, a stagnant franchise since their time led by (Raptors legend) DeMar DeRozan, has rebuilt their roster after getting rid of General Manager Marc Eversley, and VP of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas.
Led by guard duo Josh Giddey and Norman Powell (another Raptors legend), the Bulls have a very well-rounded starting 5, highlighted by the arrival of rookie Caleb Wilson. Wilson, out of UNC, is considered one of the drafts’ highest-value prospects.
A 6’10” power forward who averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 boards in college, Wilson looked like a stud in Summer League, averaging 23.5 points and 7.3 rebounds on 50-40 shooting. Scary stuff. Ricky O’Donnell’s profile of Wilson in SB Nation highlighted a few things that will be worth keeping an eye on.
O’Donnell highlights comparisons to Kevin Garnett, and a more offensively focused-less defensively focused version of the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley. While there were then-concerns about Wilson’s ability to shoot, the forward averaged almost eight attempts from downtown, and made more than three of them nightly. However, Wilson weighs in at only 215 pounds, so someone like Scottie Barnes at 237 would have a meaningful advantage when guarding him.
Nic Claxton will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, per Tiago Splitter
The Raptors’ biggest leg up tonight is the absence of Nic Claxton, the Bulls’ starting centre. Having a weaker 5 means that Toronto’s biggest deficiency — lack of a high-impact big man — will be felt less on the defensive end, and give the Raptors opportunities for more good looks in the paint. RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes could have big nights, as both drive-heavy swingmen could take advantage of less opposition at the rim, paving way for some high scoring nights from the pair. Even Jakob Poeltl could put up some big numbers on the boards, matching up against 6’8”, 215 Jalen Smith extremely well.
Seeing what Barnes will do against Wilson will be exciting, as the two forwards, built in very different physical archetypes, will have to Duke it out lest Chicago give most of the Raptors a potential matchup issue. However, one of the other defensive matchups worth keeping an eye on will be that between guards Jamal Shead and Norman Powell. The All-Star is a threat from anywhere on the court, and the former Raptor will likely be walking into the arena with putting on a show for his old crowd on his mind.
Keeping Josh Giddey’s passing under control will also be a must. The point guard’s size is frustrating, and his defensive assignment might fall to someone like Ja’Kobe Walter , as both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley could be hard pressed to keep up with the Australian.
Seeing what Kawhi Leonard looks like in the regular season will be interesting as well. Leonard is certainly capable of massive scoring outbursts, but whether or not he’ll put on a big show to start off the season, or take it easy and reserve energy, is not totally clear. Kawhi looking like a top-five offensive player tomorrow pushes the needle in the Raptors’ direction in a serious way, and this is a relatively low-pressure matchup with which to start off the season for him.
Keys to success for the Raptors will be managing both personnel and energy to maintain punishing defence on the Bulls, while getting as many shot attempts in the paint as possible. The Raptors can take this one if they defend wisely and don’t allow flamethrower Norm Powell to heat up.
This post is also where we’ll be running our game thread, a live chat to post about the game, chat, and socialize. We hope to see you there, either on the browser or in our app!
Game Information and Details
Game Time: 7:30 EDT
Watch On: Sportsnet
Injury Report
Raptors: Nate Bittle (Out – foot)
Bulls: Nic Claxton (Out – hamstring), Jordan Hawkins (Out – illness), Tobe Akawa (GTD – knee), Zach Collins (GTD – toe), Dailyn Swain (GTD – illness), Isaac Okoro (GTD – knee), Leonard Miller (GTD – right adductor strain)
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 20: Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics shoots a free throw during the game against the Detroit Pistons on October 20, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — If you didn’t know any better, you may have thought you were watching the Paul George of old.
In his Celtics debut at Little Caeser Arena, George shot lights-out, hitting three after three while the Celtics’ bench rejoiced. Most of the night, the 36-year-old looked like the best player on the floor, carrying the load offensively while taking on tough defensive assignments on the other end.
George erupted for 12 points in the second quarter, and followed that up with a 17-point third. In total, he finished opening night with 38 points, 5 steals, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, hitting 7 of 12 three-pointers and 12 of his 21 shot attempts.
George also set a new record for most points by a Celtics player in his debut, surpassing Kristaps Porzingis’s 30-point debut in 2023.
“He was unbelievable, just the confidence he played with,” said Jayson Tatum. “Obviously, made plays on defense, but just kind of getting to his spots, his ability to defend, and get on the run and be able to space the floor and attack certain matchups.”
PAUL GEORGE JUST SET THE RECORD FOR MOST POINTS IN A CELTIC DEBUT:
George’s tremendous individual performance ended up not mattering; the Celtics blew a 22-point second-half lead, in large part due to a 23-0 Pistons fourth quarter run and a 15-point Duncan Robinson fourth quarter.
As such, George made clear that the final outcome soured the way he felt about his otherwise-spectactular debut.
“I’m not a moral victory guy, so it means nothing,” he said. “We lost. Just got to get ready for the next one.”
Still, though the Celtics’ demonstrated a litany of issues in the regular-season opener — they were outrebounded, for one — George’s performance was a significant bright spot, and a great way to turn the page on a couple of injury-riddled years.
Paul George has maintained all year: he’s the healthiest he’s been in years
George said he hasn’t felt this healthy since he was with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2023-2024 season, and it showed.
“I was pretty healthy to finish my last year there, and then honestly, going to Philly, I just had a bad hyperextension that really set me back, and I couldn’t quite shake that one — it was an ongoing thing of my leg, my knee not feeling strong, and it was rough, right?” George said. “Because I was trying to rest, but I was also trying to be available for the team, and just couldn’t quite find the time to let it all come together.”
Asked Paul George when the last time was that he felt this healthy:
“My stint in LA. I was pretty healthy to finish my last year there, and then honestly, going to Philly, I just had a bad hyperextension that really set me back, and I couldn't quite shake that one — it was an… pic.twitter.com/6jqmbROmSm
But, George has since made a full recovery, and he’s beginning to show the world what a difference full health makes on his ability to play on both ends.
“This summer was huge,” he said. “I had a great summer, had time off, and coming into this year, I knew it was going to be a big one. It was going to be a fun one, a great opportunity, and so I was just happy that I was able to attack this summer with working on my game, more so than rehabbing and working on my body.”
Still, despite the clean bill of health, George was candid in sharing that Celtics training camp marked a significant transition.
“It’s been a rough camp for me, I would say – just trying to figure out new concepts, new terms, new plays, playing off other guys, just finding rhythm within that,” he said Wednesday, adding that part of it was also just getting back into game shape.
“The camp legs were just heavy. I was winded a lot of times. So it was taking away the ability to kind of do things when I just felt a little heavy and sluggish, but I’m getting my wind back. I’m getting my legs back. I feel like I’m getting my pop back, and so that was kind of the difference-maker.”
George has credited his teammates for helping him adjust over the past few weeks, and for empowering him to have such a big debut.
“It was fun to watch,” Derrick White said. “Obviously, he got super hot and trying to find him in different ways. But everything, even defensively, causing turnovers and being disruptive, it was a lot of fun. He played a hell of a game.”
Mazzulla, who has praised George through training camp, said he appreciated how the veteran approached the opener.
“He made some great reads throughout the game,” Mazzulla said. “He was able to find advantages for himself and others and be aggressive, and we just have to continue that.”
As for George, he gave a lot of the credit to his teammates and coaches, who have instilled confidence in him since he arrived in Boston.
“Credit to these guys, though, they did an amazing job keeping me in the loop, making me feel a part of the team at all points throughout this process,” he said. “[Credit to] Joe for making you know the game easier for me, D-White, Payton, JT, all of those guys. The bigs freeing me up, all of them are collectively a part of me feeling confident and playing with rhythm out there.”
George, like the rest of the Celtics, will look closely at what went wrong in the 121-113 loss.
And, he won’t overreact in either direction.
“There are good days, and there are bad days,” he said. “I’m always even-keeled. I won’t get too high on this. It’s a long season. It’s more so about being consistent for these guys.”
