CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 08: LeBron James #23 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center on November 08, 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No matter what their strength of schedule might suggest, the Sixers have started the season with a fairly brutal slate of games. They’ve already had two games each against the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, along with one game against the Boston Celtics and one against the injury-ravaged Indiana Pacers, who were without both Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac at the time. Sure, they’ve had the occasional Milwaukee Bucks or Chicago Bulls sprinkled in there, but most of their opponents have been fellow title hopefuls.
Fresh off a demoralizing loss to their longtime rival Boston Celtics on Tuesday, the Sixers have a chance to get right back off the mat and dust themselves off. They’re heading into their easiest stretch of the season yet, which should give them an opportunity to stack wins while continuing to experiment with different lineup combinations and tactical adjustments.
On Thursday, the Sixers are welcoming the depleted Toronto Raptors into town. The Raptors, who blew a huge lead against the Celtics on Wednesday, are on a back-to-back and will be without at least Kawhi Leonard as he works his way back from left knee swelling. They have yet to release their injury report, but Scottie Barnes has missed the Raptors’ past three games with a left groin strain, while both Collin Murray-Boyles (illness) and Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) were originally deemed questionable for Wednesday’s game before eventually playing.
After Thursday’s game against the Raptors, the Sixers have two days off before welcoming the Pacers to town. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters Wednesday to “check back in 10 days” on Haliburton’s status, which suggests he’s going to miss Saturday’s game. (For those looking further ahead, the Sixers have another game against Indiana on Nov. 27.)
After hosting the Pacers on Sunday, the Sixers will head to Brooklyn on Monday to take on the Nets in the second night of a back-to-back. They’ll presumably stagger LeBron James and Joel Embiid, much like they did in their first back-to-back of the season against Milwaukee and Detroit. Here’s guessing Embiid plays against the Pacers, which will give him two days off on either side of that game, and LeBron suits up against the Nets.
The Sixers’ brief road trip continues on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, who could still be without both Paolo Banchero (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (knee). And they wrap up the bum-slaying portion of their calendar at home against the Bucks after two more days of rest. That will be the third game in four days for the currently 1-11 Bucks, who could be running on fumes by the end of the second half.
Embiid and LeBron are both questionable for Thursday’s game against the Raptors, while Dominick Barlow (back) and Adem Bona (cervical spine strain) are still out. There’s a chance that both teams are comically short-handed for that game. Ironically, that could give the Sixers a valuable learning opportunity.
After Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters that the Sixers needed to “see if there isn’t something we can do different” when they deploy small-ball units with Jabari Walker or Dean Wade as the nominal center. “Maybe we can do a little more switching, maybe we can do a little more blitzing, things like that,” he added.
The Raptors have a 7-foot starting center in Jakob Poeltl, but aside from that, they largely skew on the smaller side as well. Thursday’s game could give Nurse and Co. a chance to deploy some tactical changes to their small-ball looks to see how they can better survive defensively despite their glaring lack of rim protection.
As long as the Sixers stay relatively healthy over this upcoming five-game stretch, this should be a golden opportunity for them to stack some early-season wins. Beating up on the dregs of the Eastern Conference won’t tell us anything about how they match up against other title contenders, but they can still derive value from these games.
“We can get better,” Embiid said after Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics. “I keep saying it, I keep repeating it, I don’t really look at the record. I just look at the process of how we’re getting better every day. We can always do a better job in all phases of the game.”
If the Sixers spend all season beating up on bad and/or injury-ravaged teams, they don’t need to sweep the other championship hopefuls as well. Even if they go roughly .500 against the latter, they should still be in solid position for a top-six seed and a guaranteed playoff spot. From there, they’ll just have to pray to the injury gods.
As Tyrese Maxey pointed out after Tuesday’s loss, every one of the Sixers’ starters is “playing a different role than they played last year, and some of them probably ever.” He added that he’s had to adjust like this before, which is easing his acclimation period, but it’s otherwise a work in progress that will take time to smooth out.
The Sixers are going to out-talent their next few opponents. They could rely on iso-ball and sheer force to stack some wins, but that won’t help them in the long run. They need to continue working on optimizing their offensive and defensive schemes, even if that leads to some closer-than-expected games. The more they work on throughout the 82-game regular season, the less they’ll have to figure out on the fly in the playoffs.
With that said, the Sixers would also benefit from a few “professional wins” where they take care of business early against an overmatched team and keep their starters’ minutes in check. The next few games could afford them a chance to do that.
Not only does he remember that shot, but he remembers enjoying being a guest on Prime Video's "NBA Nightcap" postgame show where he appeared in his pajamas and the hosts joked he put the Knicks "to sleep." They all laughed about his role of villain as his son popped in to say hello.
The party doesn't have to stop there as NBA on Prime announced on Thursday, Nov. 12 that the 14-year veteran guard will be a player commentator for several programs this season starting with "NBA Nightcap" on Friday, Nov. 13.
"The conversation and team analysis that night was really fun," he told USA TODAY Sports of the postgame memories, "and I thought the chemistry was there, and I felt like it made a lot of sense (for me to join the Prime team). And I have a great appreciation for what NBA on Prime is doing, what the crew is doing, and how they educate and share authentic analysis."
McCollum, 35, majored in journalism at Lehigh University and has experience hosting his own podcast with "The CJ McCollum Show" and "Pull Up with CJ McCollum."
Among Prime's All-Star team of talent that he is joining is a mix of longtime broadcasters, including Kevin Harlan, and basketball greats like Udonis Haslem, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Candace Parker. McCollum said the team is "a really cool atmosphere, really great environment of people that I respect and admire."
"They're very honest. They watch the game. They're students of the game. They’re people who appreciate the game and they do a great job of describing why certain things are happening," he continued. "... When you have that group of professionals who have played the game, have talked the game, have lived the game, have been around it and seen it for so long, you get various impactful moments where viewers are able to really get a glimpse of what's actually happening, why it's happening, in an insightful way that they can digest."
McCollum appreciates the craft of journalism and how showing the human element of any story brings people together. As journalism continues to face industry challenges, the 2016 Most Improved Player has hope.
"Storytelling is vital. I think it makes the world a better place," he said. "Being able to hear people's stories, being able to see people's journeys not just in the sports world but in life, I think is something that we all can appreciate.
"And journalism isn't dying. It's just evolving. But I think the people who move with integrity, who do things the right way and really appreciate the craft are continuing to thrive for sure."
McCollum shared with USA TODAY Sports some thoughts about various NBA topics as a sneak peek of what fans can expect from him as a guest commentator on Prime Video.
CJ McCollum on Hawks' season so far, scoring 17k points, Jalen Johnson's success
"It means a lot," he said of reaching the scoring mark. "It's a sign of longevity, being able to be around for a long time and play at a high level. It’s a sign of hard work and appreciation for the sport. But it’s also a sign of playing with good teammates, good coaching staff, people that have been able to help me get the best out of my talent and utilize a lot of the resources that we have around us and turn that into some success on the court."
"Obviously, the scoring speaks for itself," McCollum said. "His vision, I think, could be one of his best traits. He's a great passer, leading transition, elite on the break, great paint finisher, and a guy who rebounds at a high level as well. And I think he's a guy that really appreciates the game, is a student of the game, studies it, lives it, and I think the sky is the limit for him."
McCollum pointed out that, at the time of the interview, the Usher and Chris Brown tour was in town and the Atlanta Falcons were in the middle of the NFL season as extra reason that the city was the place to be.
"The energy is always high in Atlanta," he said. "... Atlanta's in a really great place. It's obviously a place of its own, where you have food, you have culture, you have people from different walks of life."
CJ McCollum on Damian Lillard's comeback
Something this season that NBA fans were anticipating was the return of Damian Lillard. McCollum was teammates with the nine-time All-Star on the Portland Trail Blazers, where they both started their careers. McCollum was there for eight seasons before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans midway though the 2021-22 season.
Lillard tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks and missed the entirety of last season after going back to Portland. In his comeback this fall, he's averaging 20 points per game, had two 25-point efforts and his jumpshot still looks like water.
McCollum was not surprised "at all."
"I think there was uncertainty from the outside. But for people that knew Dame, know his work ethic, his diligence, his approach to things, we knew he was going to have this type of comeback," he said. "He's worked extremely hard, and I'm thankful and happy to be his friend and have played with him for so long. And to see him be able to overcome something like this is not surprising at all.
"I've seen how he's worked. (We’ve) been in contact with each other consistently. That's my guy, spent some time together in Oregon when I was out there in the summer, and this is a guy who takes his craft very seriously. He’s a pro’s pro, takes care of his body, takes care of his mind, and he's in a great space being home again and being back in Oregon, where it all started, that I think is a match made in heaven for him, and I'm happy to see him thriving."
CJ McCollum on NBA apron conversation, Fred VanVleet as new NBPA president
Another hot topic of conversation in the NBA is the second apron, which was established in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement when McCollum was president of the NBPA. The rule creates what can be compared to a hard salary cap that has firm penalties if exceeded.
"The conception of this years ago was more about creating parity," McCollum said, "owners, teams, the union coming to an agreement that there needed to be some changes within the systems of how to strengthen some of the lower tier markets."
The second apron has been criticized for doing too much to squash superteams and breaking up championship rosters. Bruce Brown specifically said that he had trouble in free agency and teams were using the second apron as a reason not to sign him. Karl-Anthony Towns, who won the NBA Finals with the Knicks last season, also said he's had difficulties getting a contract he thinks he's worthy of.
McCollum said that only three years into the new CBA, it's too early to determine if a rule like the second apron is working.
"When you're creating something, you don't necessarily know how it's going to turn out, obviously," he continued. "And as you kind of go through something, you kind of figure out the amendments that need to take place, make sure that teams aren't being punished for drafting well.
"... We're only a few years into it. There's more things that need to be evaluated. It's hard to project what types of impacts something like an apron is going to have on the actual management and construction of a roster and how that affects contracts in the long run. But I think you need more data, more information to truly judge whether or not you're heading in the right direction."
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet became NBPA president in 2025 and McCollum applauded his successor's handling of the role.
"He's doing a phenomenal job," he said. "A guy who's very mature, has continued to figure out ways to help build the business of basketball, collaborating with the NBA from a partnership standpoint. I think he's doing an excellent job. I think his leadership, obviously, on the basketball court, but his leadership off the court is something that people respect, his peers respect, and excited to see what he continues to do for not only our players but also for the league."
The Pistons and Wizards play each other again, but it is after 3 days of rest for the Pistons and the day after a game for the Wizards because the NBA used Chat GPT to generate the schedule this year or something. This will only be the Pistons 3rd game in the last 8 days and their 2nd game against the Wizards.
The Pistons were able to control Monday’s game from start-to-finish, but the game was a little closer than it should have been because they had no answer for Anthony Davis. Davis finished the game with 44 points and only missed 5 shots total.
The Pistons will still be without Jalen Duren, so they once again may struggle to guard Anthony Davis. But, as Monday proved, even if they can’t stop Davis, they can still win if they stop the rest of the team.
Game Vitals
Where: Capital One Arena in Washington DC When: Thursday, November 12 at 7 pm EST Watch: Scripps Sports Network Odds: Pistons (-10.5)
Analysis
There isn’t a ton more to say about this matchup that wasn’t very evident in Monday’s game. With Jalen Duren out, the Pistons have no solution to opposing big men with any kind of offensive skill that are over 6’10”. It seems hyperbolic, but it really has been the case. Paul Reed is undersized and John Collins is not a natural center. Tolu Smith has the size to possibly keep up, but he has proven to be out of his element pretty much any time he has gotten playing time so far.
The Pistons did opt to start John Collins at center against the Wizards on Monday and it did work out offensively, as he had a season-high 24 points. But, the aforementioned Anthony Davis was able to cruise to 44 points without much resistance. Anthony Davis always seems to have his best games against the Pistons and I wouldn’t expect him to hit a couple threes every single night, but a lot of the offense he was able to generate was off of offensive rebound putbacks or shots over the undersized players guarding him.
Surprisingly, the Pistons were only outrebounded 46-45, but they were outrebounded 14-11 on the offensive glass. If you watched the game, you could see the Pistons lack of size rear it’s head countless times. It is just the current state of things and something the Pistons will have to manage as best as they can for the next two weeks while Jalen Duren is still out with his hamstring injury.
The Pistons benefitted heavily from poor games out of Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, which George in particular has been arguably the Wizards 2nd best player this season. Trae Young also had a poor night from beyond the arc where he shot 3-of-10. Some of that is because of how good the Pistons perimeter defense is and if the Pistons can replicate that tonight, it doesn’t really matter if they have nobody to slow down Anthony Davis.
AJ Dybantsa was able to get going a bit on Monday as he scored 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting. There were times where he looked overwhelmed, as he had 5 turnovers, but he showed why he was the number 1 pick and a building block for the Wizards. The Pistons have perimeter players to slow him down, but the refs were very whistle-happy on Monday which helped Dybantsa get momentum on his drives to the basket since the Pistons were not able to be as physical.
One small point of concern has been the play of Cade Cunningham over the last few games. He had arguably his best game of the season a little over a week ago against the Charlotte Hornets and since then has really struggled, especially from beyond the arc. He is 1 for his last 19 from beyond the arc after being close to 40% through the first seven games of the season.
He is playing more off-ball and getting clean looks, they just aren’t falling right now. Teams are obviously focusing their defense more on Cade, but a lot of the current issues are just due to not being able to hit his outside shots. Hopefully that changes tonight.
Luckily, Daniss Jenkins has been able to step up the last couple nights as he had a career-high, 31 points against the Lakers on Sunday and then 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists on Monday while starting. Given the success the Pistons had starting him along with John Collins at center, I would suspect that they roll out that starting lineup again.
There were some issues defensively, which I already touched on, but the offense was much better with Collins starting and more-importantly, it finally got John Collins going after his early-season struggles.
If the Pistons are able to replicate the game they played on Monday, they shouldn’t have a difficult time defeating the Wizards, but if they let one of the other players besides Anthony Davis get hot, the Wizards have a shot at the upset.
Lineups
Detroit Pistons (7-3): Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins
Washington Wizards (4-8): Trae Young, Kyshawn George, AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr
Question of the Day
Do you think there is a solution to the Pistons big-man struggles or do they just need to ride it out until Jalen Duren returns?
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns blocks out Isaiah Jackson #23 of the LA Clippers during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Phoenix Suns kicked off the season, the front court had already seen some setbacks. Last year’s starting center, Mark Williams, who earned a nice extension, was reportedly out with a torn labrum. This would force the Suns to sign Duop Reath to a two-way contract to ensure they had a third center on the roster for opening night. Not only that, but it raised an even bigger question: who would start on opening night? Would it be Oso Ighodaro, the veteran big man who took over as the starter late in the season, or Khaman Maluach, the lottery selection from the Suns in the 2025 draft, who is set to be the center of the future?
That question was answered when Khaman Maluach saw the floor with the starters as the Suns took on the Trail Blazers on opening night. Unfortunately for the Suns and Maluach, the lights were brighter than expected, and the team was run off the floor basically in the first quarter. The Suns bounced back in their next game against Golden State, but with Ighodaro injured in the opener, the center rotation was thin. With the Suns also facing the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, this didn’t help, as Maluach was forced to play against top-tier bigs and defensive teams, which disrupted his chance to build momentum.
When Ighodaro returned from injury, many fans expected him to get the starting job, but Maluach still started. This continued for a few more games until game seven, when the Suns faced the Orlando Magic. This was a must-win for the Suns, as they had just lost at home the night before to the Portland Trail Blazers in embarrassing fashion.
In this game, the Suns found their offensive groove and punished a team that couldn’t make a shot defensively, taking command and winning to show fans they are the team they have been preaching about. A big reason was plugging in Oso Ighodaro as the starting center; his screening allowed Devin Booker to hunt his shots early and score 23 first-half points. What was nice to see, though, was that Maluach looked more comfortable with the bench unit.
Against the Magic, he had eight points (4-for-6 FG), six rebounds, two assists, and two steals, and finished with a +13 in 22 minutes, which is solid for him as he settles into that new role. His active hands helped on defense, and even though he struggled against Wendell Carter Jr. to get all the boards, he put up some fight, which was nice to see. In his next opportunity against the Rockets, though, he showed that this potential can be great with this bench mob.
"Mindset doesn't change whether I'm starting or not starting."
Khaman Maluach after not starting in Suns win over Magic.
8 points, 6 rebs in 21 minutes.
"It's a process and I'm willing to take all the steps in the process. I'm going to embrace everything that comes with it… pic.twitter.com/EEsvHoIkDC
Versus the Rockets, he had eight points (3-for-4 FG), ten rebounds, one steal, two blocks, and finished with a +11 in 18 minutes. Once again, he seemed more comfortable with the bench unit and hungry to grab boards. Without Steven Adams and Clint Capela, the Suns still struggled against a tall Rockets team, but Malauch held his own and kept fighting for opportunities. He also did a solid job on the defensive end against Alperen Sengun, really limiting him until the final quarter. His active hands helped him get three stocks, and that trend will continue to help his stock rise in fans’ eyes.
Look at the multiple efforts in a full court variety, from Khaman Maluach.
After two solid games, the Suns took on last year’s Western Conference champion, the San Antonio Spurs, and it was a rough one for them ultimately. However, Maluach looked solid (as solid as a sophomore backup big can be) in minutes against Victor Wembanyama and gave Suns fans something to look forward to. Even if he only had five rebounds, he scored 11 points (4-for-6 FG) and showed his range by hitting his only three-point attempt.
Khaman Maluach is back to the bench, and his minutes are already looking better.
He needs the pressure off of him. This role allows him to develop, but not be depended on.
The game that really made this clear, though, was the latest one against the Los Angeles Clippers. Similar to the Blazers game they lost, the Suns needed to win the second half of the back-to-back in commanding fashion, just like they did against the Magic. Luckily, the Suns did, beating them 133-110, and once again Man Man showed his ability to be impactful. In just 22 minutes, he posted 11 points (4-5, 0-for-1 3FG) and went 100% from the FT line in back-to-back nights. Add seven boards and three assists to that night, and you see his nightly growth.
Quality rep from Khaman Maluach here.
Great screen angle gets Collin's guy to trail. Forces the late-switch. Khaman roll's the late-switch down to the post & puts his arm up Randy Moss style.
Salute Collin for waiting til Struss had to reset the 2.9, to throw the entry pass. pic.twitter.com/5fl2NSssqu
He has to show he can beat down these bad teams, and he went up against Isaiah Jackson for most of the night. In this recent game, he showed his knack for keeping the fight on the glass and the awareness to recognize when to make a smart pass. Not only that, but his two-person game with Collin Gillepsie has really grown, with CG finding easy passes for two points in the paint for Man Man. Truly, this switch has not only helped Maluach and his development to find himself and not be rushed to go against the Nikola Jokics of the world yet, but also aids the starters as well.
One of the most encouraging Suns numbers so far 10 games in is the 135.4 offensive rating when Gillespie is playing with Maluach (87 MIN). Still able to get the offense going without Ighodaro. Gillespie/Dunn with a 14.0 net rating in 129 minutes (122 ORtg). The bench is benching.
With Ighodaro now thrust into the starting lineup, the Suns have someone who isn’t going to play hero ball. They have someone who will do the dirty work and make the smart plays with them, which is what they need. Ighodaro’s screening has received high praise from Booker this season, and it gives him the freedom to get to his spots efficiently and wide open. His passing also helps, as he can set up valuable back-door cuts, find the right man, or make the extra pass. This allows the offense to move the ball more, stay more fluid as a unit, and generate looks for the open man.
Devin Booker on 30-point night (4-of-8 from 3) to go along with 8 assists in Suns win over Magic: "Shout out Oso (Ighodaro). Great screening angles. Forcing the team to go over. I think I got two early 3s to start. Then that just opens everything up the rest of the way. The… pic.twitter.com/eVIhxC9HJA
All in all, this move has been beneficial, as a healthy lineup of Gillespie, Goodwin, Kennard, Dunn, and Maluach can rival some of the league’s best benches. This will benefit Maluach as he learns to grow and become a starter in the future. Gillespie’s ability to set up Ighodaro and Williams in the past, when they were on the bench, makes me confident he can do the same with Maluach. You also add that this move makes the starters look a bit better, and it’s pure joy. For Man Man, I think this was the best move of his young career, and he’ll have fans buy into his potential as a true centerpiece of this team, and I cannot wait to see that unfold before our eyes.
One of the most encouraging Suns numbers so far 10 games in is the 135.4 offensive rating when Gillespie playing with Maluach (87 MIN). Still able to get the offensive going without Ighodaro. Dunn/Gillespie has a 14.0 net rating in 129 minutes (122 ORtg). The bench is benching.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Lane Thomas #20 of the Atlanta Braves high fives his teammates before Game Three of the Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lane Thomas seemed destined to be a Brave in 2026: he was playing for a non-contender on a reasonable, expiring contract, and offered a specific, not-too-complicated skillset that the team could use on a matchup-by-matchup basis (or not). So, it wasn’t surprising when the Braves went ahead and acquired him at the Trade Deadline. Unfortunately, an injury meant that Thomas didn’t really bring anything to his new team.
How Acquired
A well-traveled veteran who was drafted in 2014 and made his debut in 2019, Thomas signed a one-year worth $5.25 million with modest playing time bonuses with the Royals in the 2025-2026 offseason.
The Royals quickly drifted out of playoff contention (playoff odds below 10 percent starting in late May and sliding to zero by mid-July), which made Thomas and his middling performance an obvious trade candidate. The Braves sent minor league arms Lucas Braun and Carter Holton to Kansas City in exchange for the services of Thomas and Bailey Falter.
What were the expectations?
Thomas has had a very journeyman-esque career, playing for three clubs before the 2026 season, and putting up a combined 1.7 fWAR-per-600 PAs in parts of seven seasons. He was a full-timer in 2022-2024, which included a career-best 2.9 fWAR in 2023, but was an aging platoon-ish bat coming off an injured and pretty awful 2025 (-0.5 fWAR).
Thomas’ career has basically had one strong point: he mashes lefties. He’s been serviceable in the outfield, but it generally hasn’t been a strength of his. He’s been there to do one thing, even though teams have attempted to make him a full-timer and play him in center, largely to their detriment. That’s pretty much what he was doing with the Royals at the time of the trade:
2026 with Royals, against LHP: .355 wOBA (125 wRC+), .349 xwOBA
2026 with Royals, against RHP: .296 wOBA (84 wRC+), .297 xwOBA
His overall value in Kansas City was a little suppressed (0.8 fWAR in 328 PAs) because he both hit against a bunch of righties (about 59 percent of the time) and because the Royals chose to play him in center for some reason (-4 OAA-based runs there, and +1 in a corner outfield spot). The Braves likely figured that Thomas not in center field, playing largely against lefties, would be a pretty nice guy to have. So, the expectation was probably “a really solid short side platoon guy,” which is a great thing to acquire for two very fringy prospect arms.
2026 Results
Though the process of getting Thomas into Atlanta was sound-if-obvious, the results went awry for a number of reasons. The biggest one: Thomas went down with an intercostal strain just about a month into his Atlanta tenure, and didn’t return until the NLDS. That basically halved what the Braves acquired him for, i.e., September and as many playoff series as possible.
Because of the injury, Thomas got just 46 regular season PAs as a Brave, and another seven in the NLDS. Neither tenure was any good: Thomas put up a .261 wOBA and xwOBA (61 wRC+) and -0.1 fWAR in the regular season, and went 1-for-7 with four strikeouts and no walks in the playoffs (.127 wOBA, .129 xwOBA).
Overall, he finished the season at 0.7 fWAR in 374 PAs, which was a huge improvement over his miserable 2025 (-0.5 fWAR in 142 PAs), but otherwise a pretty disappointing year in which he did his main party trick (mash lefties) and not much else.
What went right?
Well, he did the thing he was acquired to do. 30 of his 46 PAs with the Braves in the regular season came against southpaws, and he put together a .353 wOBA (123 wRC+). Mission accomplished, sorta.
Thomas got healthy enough to play against the Dodgers in the NLDS, which was kind of a win considering how much time he missed.
In sort of fitting fashion for a guys whose Braves tenure was kind of lame for reasons not entirely within his control, Thomas’ best game as a Brave was one they ultimately lost. On August 19, he pinch hit for Dominic Smith while the Braves down 4-1 in the sixth, representing the tying run against the Minnesota relief corps. Thomas singled, the Braves’ third straight hit. After a sacrifice fly and a single, the Braves were down 4-3… and Tommy Nance balked with Thomas on third base to push the tying run across. Unfortunately for the Braves, Dylan Lee and the defense gave up two runs in the seventh, and the Braves ended up losing 6-4, with Thomas striking out against a right-hander in his next plate appearance.
What went wrong?
The injury was the big thing, but, though 46 PAs isn’t much, we can also add a few other things. While Thomas maintained his lefty-mashing outputs with his new team, his inputs against lefties included a much more modest, .319 xwOBA. That’s not lefty-mashing. On top of that, he completely fell apart against right-handers in 16 PAs: .087 wOBA (-55 wRC+), .154 xwOBA. Yeah, it was just 16 PAs, but when 16 PAs in a split are a third of your total, that really drags down the batting line. Thomas also didn’t do much defensively, which is how he ended up with -0.1 fWAR as a Brave despite the decent outputs against lefties.
Some of this came to roost in the playoffs, where Thomas actually had more PAs against righties (four) than lefties (three), despite coming off injury. He didn’t do anything there, either, and in fact, his sole safety in the 2026 postseason came against a righty.
Thomas’ worst appearance as a Brave came in a 2-1 win against the Rockies in August. The Braves weren’t generating any offense against a tattered pitching staff, and Thomas, who came into the game in the fifth, didn’t help. He grounded out against a lefty in his first plate appearance, then struck out against a righty with two in scoring position, two out, and the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the seventh… by taking five pitches in a row. Yeesh. Fortunately for him, Mauricio Dubon doubled home both of Atlanta’s runs in the game in the next inning, so it wasn’t that brutal, but a five-pitch strikeout taking all the way in a key spot is brutal.
2027 Outlook
Thomas’ recent seasons have had twists and turns. In 2024, he was a below-average regular whose bat was propped up by mashing lefties. In 2025, he had a lost season, missing most of it and playing horribly while on the field. 2026 was kind of a mix: he was 2024-esque with the Royals, but then injuries struck after the trade, and his performance wasn’t up to par with his new team.
Put that together, and you have a guy who looks like a straight-up bench player. Steamer’s early release has him around 0.5 WAR in a half-season, and I find it hard to argue with that on any side. His ability to hit lefties, unless it somehow evaporated in the late summer of 2026, makes him worth rostering, but he may not even be a preferred choice for the short side of a platoon at this point because he doesn’t offer much in the way of defense, or ability to hold his own against right-handed pitching.
The Braves have done worse in terms of their bench. (Dominic Smith wasn’t hitting anyone for months.) Maybe they’ll re-add him for a limited role. Or, maybe he’ll seek a larger role (and perhaps more compensation). Still, he played for $5.5 million last season coming off a terrible year, so I don’t expect more than $4.5 million or so to retain his services for 2027.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Adrian Morejon #50 of the San Diego Padres reacts after the final out of the eighth inning was recorded against the Chicago Cubs in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park on September 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals’ bullpen was atrocious in 2026. Carlos Estévez missed virtually the entire season, Lucas Erceg worked through issues all year, and Matt Strahm was completely ineffective once he suffered a knee injury midseason. The Royals had a 6.65 ERA in the ninth inning, by far the worst mark in baseball. They cycled through 32 relievers in all, and the bullpen finished with a 5.07 ERA, second-worst in baseball, with 26 blown saves.
Picollo indicated that the bullpen would be a focus this offseason, although he cautioned that didn’t mean they would necessarily be aggressive in spending in that area. Past free agent signings that have backfired could inhibit the team from pursuing top dollar pitchers. But the team badly needs depth and could look for bargains in the market that can upgrade their pen. Here is what this year’s free agent reliever market looks like.
Top tier relievers
David Bednar is one of the most established closers available this offseason, a two-time All-Star with 146 career saves. He bounced back from a difficult 2024 campaign and an early demotion in 2025 to have a solid 2.47 ERA this year with 9.9 strikeouts-per-nine innings. The Yankees offered him a Qualifying Offer, but the 32-year-old should command a lucrative multi-year deal.
Adrián Morejón is arguably the top reliever available due to an explosive 2026 season and his age. The 27-year-old fireballing lefty struck out 30.4 percent of all hitters he faced, posting a 2.83 ERA in 83 innings. He has never handled traditional closing duties on a regular basis, but over the last three years he has been the third-most valuable reliever in baseball by fWAR. He is likely looking at a three- to five-year deal worth at least $16 million per year, with some even speculating he could get up to $100 million.
Proven closers
José Alvarado has one of fastest heaters in the game, but suffered a poor season with a 5.86 ERA coming off the heels of an 80-game suspension for PEDs. He still missed a lot of bats this year, his FIP was much better than his ERA, and he is just 31 years old, so he might be a good bounce-back candidate.
Raisel Iglesias has had 29+ saves in each of the last four years, and he hasn’t posted an ERA higher than 3.21 since 2019. He is about as consistent as they come, but he will turn 37 in January. He is probably looking at a one- or two-year deal and some feel he is likely to return to the Braves.
Kenley Jansen has 498 career saves, third-most all-time. He posted a solid 3.20 ERA in 45 innings last year, but with a 4.46 FIP and a spike in his walk rate. His cutter is still a very effective pitch, but he is now 39 years old and in the twilight of his career.
Can miss bats
Bryan Abreu had three 100+ strikeout seasons as a reliever and his 33.4 percent strikeout rate since 2022 is 13th-highest among relievers. But his walk rate increased significantly this year, and he posted a career-worst 3.78 ERA and 4.62 FIP. Most of that was due to poor April, and he had a 2.19 ERA after that month. He doesn’t turn 30 until April, so the right-hander should be a pretty coveted arm.
Brock Burke led the AL with 77 appearances, posting a 2.63 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 74.1 innings. Lefties hit just .195 against him, but he struck out a fair number of right-handers too, although his walk rate was quite high.
Kevin Ginkel has struck out 9.8 hitters per-nine-innings over the last four seasons with the Diamondbacks. He had a rough 2025 season, but bounced back a bit this year with a 4.12 ERA that would have been lower had it not been for a pair of four-run outings in August. His 3.50 FIP and solid strikeout-to-walk ratio will keep the 32-year-old in demand despite a less-than-stellar ERA.
Gregory Soto is a two-time All-Star reliever who struck out 10.6 hitters per-nine innings with the Pirates, posting a 3.63 ERA. The 31-year-old lefty had a 43.6 percent groundball rate and was equally effective against lefties and righties.
Alex Vesia has been one of the best relievers in the league, with the tenth-lowest ERA of all relievers over the last three seasons. Lefties hit just .138 against him this year, but he’s effective against right-handers as well. Vesia could earn a two- or even three-year deal worth around $10-12 million per year.
Others: Mark Leiter Jr., Ryne Stanek
Control artists
Andrew Kittredge has the sixth-lowest walk rate among relievers over the past two seasons, with just 19 unintentional walks over that time. He posted a career-high strikeout rate of 10.9 per-nine-innings in 2025, but that plummeted to 7.5 this year. The right-hander will be 37 by the time the season starts.
A.J. Minter has a 4.3 percent walk rate, sixth-lowest among pitchers with at least 40 innings. The lefty had a 2.56 ERA in 48 games last year, and doesn’t have much of a platoon split.
Steven Okert has a 2.50 ERA over the last two seasons with one of the best strikeout-to-walk ratios over that time. Lefties hit .186/.244/.301 against the 35-year-old, but he was nearly equally effective against righties.
Groundball pitchers
Jason Adam has already had two separate stints with the Royals, but it wasn’t until he left KC that he became an All-Star reliever. He missed nearly three months with a shoulder strain, returning for two games at the end of the season. The Kansas City native posted a 2.62 ERA, although his strikeout rate plummeted.
Paul Blackburn is a former All-Star starter but became a journeyman before joining the Yankees. He was one of the most trusted relievers for Aaron Boone this year, and he finished with the fourth-most multi-inning relief appearances. In 85 innings, the 32-year-old right-hander posted a 1.59 ERA, third-lowest among all relievers.
Jonathan Loáisiga had a 56.4 percent groundball rate, 11th-highest in the league. He also poured in strikes with a 5.0 percent walk rate. The 32-year-old posted a 2.42 ERA and 2.88 FIP for Arizona despite a low strikeout rate.
Sean Newcomb was bouncing around the league before he figured something out in 2025 and used his curve to become a very effective reliever. He had the second-most multi-inning relief appearances in baseball, pitching in 90.1 innings with a 3.09 ERA and a 44 percent groundball rate.
JoJo Romero was a late inning option for the Cardinals before they traded him to Milwaukee, where he earned a ring. The lefty is equally good against righties and lefties, and the 30-year-old has been very dependable over the last three seasons.
Antonio Senzatela spent most of his career as a starting pitcher in Colorado, but moved to the pen where he became a solid reliever for the Rockies. He was less impressive after being traded to Milwaukee, and he doesn’t have a record of success, so the 31-year-old could be a bit of a risk.
Ryan Thompson is a sidearmer that can bring the “different look” J.J. Picollo has advocating having in the pen. His ERA spiked to 4.43 this year and his strikeout rate fell to 6.4 per-nine-innings, but his FIP was a solid 3.81 and he had a 50.7 percent groundball rate.
Others: Tyler Alexander, Brent Suter
Old friends
Taylor Clarke left the Royals to have a solid season in Arizona with a 2.96 ERA in 71 games. He doesn’t strike out many hitters, but he had a very low walk rate and a 45 percent groundball rate.
Jakob Junis has been a fairly effective reliever since joining the Royals, although he has battled some injuries. He made 53 appearances for the Rangers last year with a 3.64 ERA, but with one of the lowest strikeout rates.
John Schreiber was terrific after joining the Yankees late in the year, lowering his ERA to 3.28 in 60.1 innings for the year. He also had a very low strikeout rate, and his walk rate spiked up last year.
Others: Carlos Estévez, Hunter Harvey, Tim Hill, Matt Strahm, Ryan Yarbrough
Free agents from Asia
Darwinzon Hernández pitched in parts of four MLB seasons with Boston before pitching three seasons in Japan. He had a 1.41 ERA in 44.2 innings last year with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The 29-year-old lefty threw in the mid-90s, but had major command issues earlier in his career, although his walk rates in Japan were much better.
Andrés Machado came up in the Royals organization and pitched in two games for them in 2017 before pitching for the Washington Nationals. He spent the last three years pitching in Japan for the Orix Blue Wave, posting a 1.35 ERA in 53.1 innings last year with just seven walks. He also pitched well in the World Baseball Classic for Team Venezuela and could be eyeing a return to MLB.
Kaima Taira is a squat 5’8” pitcher nicknamed “Fire Hydrant” who had a 1.36 ERA in 146 innings last year for the Saitama Seibu Lions. He throws in the high-90s and can hit triple digits. Some teams may see him as a starter, but he’s likely to have more success out of the pen. He will go through the posting system and must be signed by December 1.
Others: Jyun-Yue Tseng, Tai-In Won
Lefty specialists
Sam Moll had an underwhelming 4.79 ERA mostly due to a poor finish. He held lefties to a line of .217/.311/.296 and finished with a 51.6 percent groundball rate.
Brooks Raley was fantastic with the Mets this year, although he was less effective after being traded to the Phillies. The 38-year-old made 61 appearances with a 3.25 ERA overall, and lefties hit .259/.309/.376 against him.
Others: Andrew Chafin, Danny Coulombe, Hoby Milner, Taylor Rogers, Caleb Thielbar
Other middle relievers
Shawn Armstrong has posted strong strikeout rates the last few years, but his walk numbers skyrocketed this year with the Guardians. After a 3.21 ERA in 71 games in 2025, he posted a disappointing 4.58 ERA this year.
Pierce Johnson is a former Missouri State right-hander who had a nice 2025 season with the Braves, but regressed this year with a 4.62 ERA in 56 games. He gets whiffs with his curve, but his strikeout numbers fell significantly.
Tyler Kinley also saw his strikeout numbers fall, but his ERA held steady at 3.45, although with a 5.21 FIP. He has trouble with walks at times and turns 36 in January.
Others: Enyel De Los Santos, Dennis Santana
Injury risks
Jalen Beeks has a 3.78 ERA in 83.1 innings over the last two years with Arizona and Texas, but missed the last three months of the year following flexor tendon surgery. The 33-year-old lefty should be ready for spring training.
Pete Fairbanks is a former Mizzou pitcher with 94 saves over the past four seasons. He was an effective reliever for the Rays for many years, but they non-tendered him after the 2025 season and he was awful this year for the Marlins. Fairbanks deals with Raynaud’s phenomenon, which can cause finger numbness in cold weather. He underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and likely won’t be ready for the start of next season.
Evan Phillips missed most of the first half of last year following Tommy John surgery, but returned late in the year to make 31 appearances for the Dodgers, even making their postseason roster. He had a 3.46 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 26 innings with a 97 mph fastball and a sweeper that generates a 34 percent whiff rate.
A.J. Puk is a 6’7” lanky lefty with a 96 mph fastball, who is coming off Tommy John surgery. He had a 3.15 ERA in 62 games, with 88 strikeouts in 71.1 innings, but has pitched in just eight games since then. He was supposed to return last summer, but had some setbacks and only pitched in a few minor league games.
Others: Yimi García, Brusdar Graterol, Joe Jiménez, José Leclerc, Robert Stephenson
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks shoots during warmups prior to their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In last night’s loss to the Cavaliers, Mikal Bridges played 17 minutes, took three shots, and finished with two points, two rebounds, and an assist. This was another disappointing performance in a season when we expected the wing to make his first All-Star appearance.
At his presser after the game, coach Mike Brown said: “Mikal is a starter, and so it’s not a question of that. He’s like a lot of players. They’ve had their good moments and their not-so-good moments. And Mikal has a proven track record of playing at a pretty high level as a starter in this league. So, for me to make a quote-unquote panic decision and change it right now, we’re ten games in, or whatever we are, I’m not feeling it.”
And in the locker room, Jalen Brunson defended his teammate. “The people in this room have his back night in & night out. We see the work he puts into his game, […] Regardless of what the noise is on the outside, that’s our brother.”
Bridges is an iron man. Between college ball and the pros, he hasn’t missed a game. He’s also one of Jalen Brunson’s closest friends on the team, and as a Villanova teammates they won two national titles together. Kal’s mantle is full of pre-pro awards, and he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2022. Bridges is a world champion. With a lithe, long body, he’s a tremendous cutter, plays a terrific midrange game, and guards multiple positions well. He’s a career 48% / 37% / 84% shooter, averaging over 14 points and 1.2 steals per game. Maybe not Hall-of-Fame, but definitely Hall-of-Pretty-Good.
In 2024, Brooklyn traded him to New York for a boatload of picks. In just over two seasons at his current home, he’s averaged more than 15 points per game and has been a fixture of the starting lineup.
He’s also been consistently inconsistent. There were times last season when we thought it might be time to sacrifice the games-played streak for a little RnR. After the first five games of the playoffs, we were ready to leave him behind in Atlanta. Then he went on an incredible run, and aside from faltering somewhat against the Spurs, he was essential to New York bringing home a championship. As we know, winning heals a lot of wounds. Those same fans who complained about the overpay soon took up a delirious chant about defiling those picks.
You cannot deny the man’s achievements—nor that he’s stunk so far this season. After a summer of celebration, the 30-year-old has started the current campaign with some of the worst play of his career. Eleven games in, his stats are 5.9 PPG, 33% FG, and 27% 3PT. These Knicks are notoriously late starters, often not hitting their stride until late in the first or even second quarter. Or the fourth. Cap even joked about this in his SNL appearance. But this time, Mikal has no stride to hit. Lately, he has watched the fourth quarter action from the bench (very expensive seats, indeed).
Mike Brown is a supreme diplomat, saying all the right things at all times. Yet, Mikal is a starter because the coach chooses to start him. That’s the coach’s prerogative. The skipper could field someone else as the starting shooting guard—say Landry Shamet, who’s proven himself more than worthy. Why hasn’t he?
First, there’s a chemistry to the team that Mike Brown handles like plutonium. To disrupt the starting five by separating Kal from his ‘Nova brethren might yield positive results on the court, but could foment discord behind the scenes. A demotion could also further erode Bridges’ confidence, which would be bad for their long-term plans. Unless he’s shipped off before the midseason trade deadline (more musings on that below), the Knicks will need Bridges in shape physically and mentally for a deep postseason run.
Further, there’s the potential loss of reliable sparkplug off the bench. For a while now, Shamet’s been the most consistent in that role. McBride and Clarkson have certainly had their moments, too, but when Mike needs a sub AND a bucket AND defense, ShamWow has become his security blanket. When the score is close, Landry’s steady contribution makes it difficult to justify giving those two-guard minutes to Bridges in the final frame.
Here’s Brown again, from his postgame. “Yeah, part of it is we got two guys that are playing really well in Landry and Deuce, and so it’s hard. [… They] have been a big part of what we’ve done defensively. If they’re playing at a high level, I got to keep trying to find ways to get those guys on the floor.”
As Brown alluded, the Knicks have more guards than they need. Conversely, they remain light at the center position. They have Karl-Anthony Towns playing a career year, Andre Drummond backing him up with great rebounds and questionable shots, and . . . James Wiseman? Sometimes? Leon Rose & Co. are aware of this. They also know that in a trade for a big man of talent, they will need both a desirable player to offer and one whose salary helps to offset what’s incoming.
Obviously, Bridges is a nice guy. He’s not so diabolical as to throw his season to insulate himself from being traded. His sub-standard play does complicate trade opportunities, however. Another club that’s willing to part with a talented center will want to take on a positive, productive player, not a distressed asset with a lot of basketball miles on his wheels.
There’s also a not insignificant chance that the front office is totally cool with what they have and are unwilling to make a panic move either. After all, the team that won the Finals did so with Karl-Anthony Towns, occasional Mitchell Robinson, and a sprinkling of Ariel Hukporti. If Brown can coach Wiseman up to Huk-level participation, then what’s the difference, really?
When asked about his play earlier in this short season, Bridges said, “Obviously we should be better than we are, me personally,” he said. “But it takes time and just not skipping steps.”
He doesn’t sound panicked. Neither does Mike after 11 games. Nor Jalen, Leon, or the rest of the team. What about 15 games? 20? Can we run screaming down the street on December 1st? Ideally, Bridges gets right in Friday’s game against Indy, kills the conversation for the rest of the season, and we all look back and laugh. If this continues to be an issue, though, we’re very interested to see Mike’s next move.
The Sixers will not need to wait long for an opportunity to move past their most lopsided loss of the season.
Less than 48 hours after Boston’s 123-101 win exposed several of Philadelphia’s early weaknesses, the Sixers will host the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Raptors are coming off a difficult meeting with the Celtics, too. Toronto led Boston by 22 points Wednesday before being outscored 61-34 over the final 29:24 of a 98-93 loss.
Philadelphia enters at 9-3 following Tuesday’s defeat. Toronto is 5-6 and will complete a back-to-back and its third game in four nights.
LeBron James has been ruled out because of low-back and sciatica management. Joel Embiid is questionable with right plantar fascia injury management. Toronto will be without Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes and Nate Bittle.
Here are four areas to watch as the Sixers try to respond.
The possession battle
Few teams have forced opponents into mistakes as frequently as Toronto.
The Raptors have generated 18.9 turnovers per game, the highest mark in the NBA. They are also averaging 10.9 steals and nearly 15 offensive rebounds.
The Sixers have countered that type of pressure well. Their 13.0 turnovers per game are tied for one of the lowest marks in the league.
Something will have to give.
Toronto’s length remains disruptive even without Leonard and Barnes. The Raptors regularly crowd ball handlers, reach into passing lanes and send multiple players toward the offensive glass. Jakob Poeltl supplies size inside while RJ Barrett, Ja’Kobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles can create problems away from the ball.
The Raptors’ pressure can punish a careless pass twice. It takes away a Sixers possession and gives Toronto an opportunity to score before the defense gets organized.
Philadelphia has largely avoided those mistakes while adjusting to a new lineup and playing at a quicker pace. Maintaining that control without James, who has handled a significant share of the playmaking, will be one of Thursday’s clearest challenges.
Keeping Toronto out of the open floor
Toronto has not built its offense around half-court shooting.
The Raptors are averaging 49.6 paint points and 16.4 fast-break points. Even while shorthanded Wednesday, they scored 18 points in transition against Boston.
That presents a direct test for a Sixers defense allowing 16.5 fast-break points per game, the fourth-highest figure in the NBA. Philadelphia has also surrendered 49.5 paint points per contest.
The first concern will be slowing the ball.
Immanuel Quickley returned Wednesday after missing two games with right hamstring soreness. He gives Toronto another guard capable of attacking early in the shot clock, while Barrett has consistently looked to get downhill with Leonard and Barnes unavailable.
Poeltl can create scoring chances without having a play called for him. He runs the floor, screens for Toronto’s guards, rolls toward the rim and cleans up misses.
The Sixers have been effective in transition themselves, averaging 17.1 fast-break points. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe can change ends quickly after a stop, but Philadelphia must secure the ball first.
Thursday’s game could swing on which team gets to run and which one is forced to create against a set defense.
Another unpredictable night from three?
Toronto provided an extreme example Wednesday of how quickly the three-point line can alter a game.
The Raptors entered their matchup against Boston shooting 31.8 percent from beyond the arc. They proceeded to hit 10 of their 18 attempts in the first quarter, tying a franchise record for threes in a period.
They went 6 for 25 over the final three quarters.
After Wednesday, Toronto is shooting 32.4 percent from three this season. The Sixers should not treat the Raptors like an elite perimeter team. They also cannot allow them to find early confidence through uncovered catch-and-shoot attempts.
Walter made five threes Wednesday and scored a team-high 17 points. Rookie Allen Graves added 13 points, while Quickley, Barrett and Jamison Battle are all willing shooters when the ball reaches them in rhythm.
Philadelphia’s problems against Boston extended beyond the Celtics making difficult shots. The Sixers were late on several closeouts and occasionally allowed too much separation while navigating screens.
Toronto does not rely on the three as heavily as Boston. Wednesday showed it can still build a lead quickly when those shots start falling.
Using the schedule advantage
The Raptors expended significant energy Wednesday before traveling to Philadelphia.
They scored 38 first-quarter points, built a 22-point lead and then watched Boston erase the entire margin before the end of the third quarter. Quickley and Barrett each played more than 31 minutes. Poeltl and Walter both played at least 29.
The Sixers should have the fresher legs. Whether they take advantage could become apparent early.
Philadelphia has averaged 26.3 first-quarter points with a minus-2.2 scoring margin in opening periods. Slow starts have forced the Sixers to play from behind several times, including in their 29-point comeback against Cleveland.
An aggressive start would make Toronto respond quickly after a draining loss. Maxey and Edgecombe can apply pressure by pushing the ball after defensive rebounds instead of allowing the Raptors to set their pressure defense.
James’ absence will require an adjustment. Maxey, Brown and Anfernee Simons should handle more of the ball and more of the decisions that come with initiating the offense.
If Embiid plays, the Sixers can make Toronto work through Poeltl by establishing him inside. If Embiid sits, Philadelphia’s size concerns will become more pronounced with Adem Bona, Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti also unavailable.
The Sixers have a rest advantage against a depleted opponent coming off an emotional loss. Their response should begin well before the fourth quarter.
Carolina Hurricanes veteran forward Taylor Hall is set to reach a massive career milestone, as he's in line to play in his 1,000 career NHL game on Thursday.
And to make the moment even more special, it's coming in the middle of the NHL Global Series as the Hurricanes are currently in Helsinki, Finland taking on the Seattle Kraken.
"I'm lucky to have played in the league this long. It's cool. For different guys it means different things and I think it's really exciting for me to do it [with Carolina] a team with which we a Stanley Cup and there are some really good memories here. Had a son born here and all that and just a lot of really good things have happened here, so to play 1,000 games with this team is very cool."
In fact, Taylor Hall will be the only player in NHL history to play their 1,000 career game outside of North America and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman pointed out too that Hall's first ever NHL game came on the same date as the Hurricanes' last international trip to Finland (Oct. 7, 2010).
Despite being a first overall pick in 2010, Hall has been through his fair share of ups and downs, being on quite a few bad teams and also dealing with some major injuries.
"If you go first overall, I feel like you've gotta play a lot of games," Hall said. "I started when I was 18 and I was able to have the opportunity right away. I'm definitely grateful that my body has held up after some injuries and all that and hopefully I have a lot more to go."
However, he's had a career resurgence in Carolina, which wound up with him securing the Stanley Cup last season.
"Early in his career, it was more about the talent," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Lately, certainly since he's gotten here, he's more so morphed into a good, solid, all-around player that still has a lot of that talent. He's adapted to his game to doing what we needed him to do and he's done a great job with it."
And the secret to Hall's longevity?
"I think, to be cliche, you just have to enjoy every day. There's so many good things that can happen from playing hockey in general and when you get to play it at this level, on a team like this, you don't take it for granted because one day you're not going to have this. That's what I relish the most."
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Milwaukee, WI - October 11, 2026: Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto warms up before game one of NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting in results announced on Wednesday, his second straight year receiving support as one of the top pitchers in the league.
Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers was the unanimous winner of the award after leading the majors in both strikeouts (252) and ERA (1.80) while going 16-5 in his 30 starts and 74 2/3 innings.
Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies finished in second place and Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale finished third. Yamamoto was fourth, and appeared on 29 of 30 possible ballots. Yamamoto got two second-place votes, seven third-place votes, 14 fourth-place votes, and six fifth-place votes, for a total of 63 points.
Seven points are awarded for each first-place vote, then four points for second-place votes, three points for third place, two points for fourth place, and one point for fifth place.
Pitcher
Team
1st votes
2nd votes
3rd votes
4th votes
5th votes
Points
Jacob Misiorowski
Brewers
30
0
0
0
0
210
Cristopher Sánchez
Phillies
0
17
6
6
1
99
Chris Sale
Braves
0
11
16
3
0
98
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dodgers
0
2
7
14
6
63
Jesús Luzardo
Phillies
0
0
1
7
17
34
Mason Miller
Padres
0
0
0
0
4
4
Eduardo Rodríguez
D-backs
0
0
0
0
2
2
Yamamoto this season led the majors by averaging 6.61 innings per start, and put up a 2.53 ERA and 2.94 xERA in his 28 starts with 182 strikeouts in 185 innings. He ranked third in the National League in ERA, was fourth in xERA, and ranked ninth in strikeout-minus-walk rate (19.8 percent).
This is the second straight year Yamamoto garnered Cy Young Award votes. He finished in third place in 2025, and also appeared on 29 of 30 ballots. Yamamoto did not receive any second-place votes last year, but his 72 points outpaced his tally of 63 this year.
Also on Wednesday, at the MLB Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal each earned All-MLB second-team honors as starting pitchers. They were the only two Dodgers honored in the various awards. This was the third All-MLB honor for Skubal, who was a first-team starting pitcher in 2024 and 2025, and the second such honor for Yamamoto, who was a first-team starting pitcher last year.
Shohei Ohtani missed out on first-team and second-team All-MLB with Yordan Álvarez and Ben Rice capturing those honors at designated hitter. Álvarez also won the Edgar Martinez Award as the top DH in baseball.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 7: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins protects the goal during the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on November 7, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
When the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Chicago Blackhawks back in mid-October, in large part due to a bad late goal surrendered by Sergei Murashov, it seemed to break his confidence a little bit. He did not have a good game to begin with, and that goal seemed to be the one that really pushed him over the edge. His next two starts, against the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens, were ugly. Very ugly. He allowed five goals in each start, had a sub-.800 save percentage, and looked like a young goalie that was struggling to find himself.
That seems to be changing over his past two starts. That was especially true in Wednesday’s 3-2 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks, where he stopped 34-of-36 shots through overtime, and then stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout.
It was a breakout game of sorts for him, and one of the best starts of his (very) young career.
Things started to turn around for him in the first game of this road trip in Los Angeles when he stopped 26-of-28 shots in a 5-2 Penguins win. The two goals he allowed were more flukey than anything else, with both coming off weird bounces (one off the glass behind the net that fell right in Corey Perry’s lap, and another that took a weird bounce off Penguins defenseman Kaedan Korczak). I will not go as far as to say he stole the game, but he was really good. He did what he needed to do, played a strong game, and took a big step forward.
On Wednesday night in San Jose, he was closer to stealing it.
Not only did he make the 34 saves (again, on 36 shots) through overtime and the three shootout saves, he bailed out an especially leaky defense on several occasions, made some high-level saves on Grade-A scoring chances, and perhaps most importantly, seemed to play with sky-high confidence. He not only looked really good, he looked in control. It was a highly, highly encouraging start, continuing an encouraging stretch of starts for him, and an producing an even better result.
I have been saying all along this season that goaltending will be one of the big wild-cards that determines the success of this team, and you have to be prepared for some ups-and-downs with them. Especially Murashov, given that he is a 22-year-old rookie in his first full season of NHL hockey. There are going to be some highs and lows. Goalies are the most volatile position in the sport, and it is even more true with young goalies.
Murashov has already had a lot of the peaks and valleys.
Including Wednesday’s game in San Jose, he has had four starts this season where his save percentage topped .914, while he combined to save 6.54 goals above expected in those starts. That is really, really good. Top-level starter kind of stuff. He has also had three starts where his save percentage has been .815 or lower, and was minus-6.62 in goals saved above expected. Obviously, not as good. That is a young goalie for you, though. You just have to have some patience here.
I am not going to go as far as to say he completely stole Wednesday’s game, because that would unfairly undersell the chances the Penguins created offensively. Even though they only scored two goals through overtime, they did create a lot of opportunities. The goalie at the other end of the ice, Yaroslav Askarov, was just as good as Murashov in that game and easily took a few potential goals off the board for the Penguins. They could have absolutely scored four or five goals in that game.
Murashov did, however, bail out their defensive play.
It was an interesting goalie matchup because Askarov, now 24, is not that far removed from being in the position that Murashov is in now. He arrived in San Jose in a trade with the Nashville Predators (with a first-round pick going the other way) and figured to be a key part of their rebuild. He has had a lot of inconsistencies and struggles playing behind a really bad defense (and a mostly bad team). He is starting to figure out and put things together and has actually been a bright spot for the Sharks this season, having stopped 5.2 goals above expected through Wednesday’s game. The fact the Sharks are still so bad in the standings is more of a testament to how bad the rest of the team is and how bad their defense still is than anything regarding Askarov.
I would still like to see Murashov be further ahead than where Askarov is two years from now, and be a better player as he gets to that point, but it does kind of show just how unpredictable and how much of a process this is. Remember, Marc-Andre Fleury was not an immediate success his first couple of years in the league. There were a lot of growing pains in there, and even some trips back to the minors. Granted, he was even younger than Murashov is now, and I am not expecting Murashov to have Fleury’s career, but the point remains the same — expect some of this. Nothing should be a surprise here.
The Penguins have improved their farm system significantly over the past two years, creating some real prospect depth and some young players that have a chance to be NHL regulars. The problem is there really is not anybody that projects to be a superstar level player. At least not yet.
In terms of skaters, Ben Kindel is probably the closest, and while I do think we are underselling his upside a bit, even if he becomes a star-level player in the future, he is most likely not going to be on that top-tier list among NHL players. Maybe an All-Star. Not quite a superstar.
Murashov is probably the one guy in the organization that has a chance to be that sort of superstar, game-changing level player. It just so hard to project it because of the position and the volatility of it. His ceiling is probably higher than any young player they have. His floor is also potentially lower than most of them. But if he does get to that ceiling? Or even close to it? That would be significant. Having one of your home-grown players that turns out to be a star-level playing being a goalie is a big development. They just have to get him there.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 11: Luka Dončić #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after an apparent injury against the Milwaukee Bucks in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum on November 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite not returning once he took and hit his free throw, Dončić made clear there’s nothing to worry about moving forward.
“I’m good,” he told reporters postgame “Obviously, it’s painful a little bit, but I’ll be fine.”
Off to a roaring first three weeks, Dončić is powering the Lakers’ West-leading 11-2 start and current seven-game winning streak. With Dončić on the floor this season, Los Angeles has outscored its opponents by 165 points in 395 minutes. When he sits, it’s been outscored by 62 points in 229 minutes.
If you’d like the small-sample theatre for those numbers, that’s a plus-19.3 net rating with him and a minus-11.1 net rating without him. The Lakers are posting a ridiculous 131.0 offensive rating during his minutes. Yet they’ve also been much better defensively in that span, allowing 111.6 points per 100 possessions with him and 120.0 per 100 without him.
That’s largely the product of Dončić playing career-best defense as he’s drawing charges, inhaling rebounds and consistently occupying the passing lanes or rotating punctually off the ball to generate turnovers. Only Brandin Podziemski (five) has drawn more charges than Dončić (four) while his 2.4% steal rate and 1.1% block rate are career highs, per Cleaning the Glass.
Although the on-off numbers are staggering and the Lakers will certainly be glad Dončić has avoided injury, they have survived the two games he’s sat out thus far. Austin Reaves scored 43 points Sunday to lead them past a very good Detroit Pistons squad and they trounced the Los Angeles Clippers, 103-87, back on Oct. 28.
That’s not to downplay Dončić‘s importance but rather to highlight the Lakers’ depth and their adaptability. Dončić is a supernova but 11-2, including seven straight wins, doesn’t happen with a one-man show. Los Angeles is a well-rounded group and has received key contributions almost every night from its supporting cast. It’ll look to keep that going when its road trip comes to a close Sunday against the Phoenix Suns at 7 p.m.
ORLANDO, FL - NOVEMBER 2: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards and Anthony Davis #23 high five during the game against the Orlando Magic on November 2, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Earlier today, Kevin Broom wrote his “morning after” analysis of the Washington Wizards’ loss to the Indiana Pacers. And he’s sounding the alarm. Though Washington has played 12 games, there is already more than enough information to indicate that this season will be … tougher than anticipated.
In the case of the Wizards this season, they may not really be the quality of a team that wins just 14-15 games (which is what their adjusted scoring margin implies), but a) they could be, and b) it’s pretty unlikely they’re even the quality of a 35-win team. Best case at this point is probably mid-20s in wins — better than last season, though not the major step forward many hoped.
While it’s not as early as we think, it’s getting later fast. We already have half the information needed to draw a meaningful conclusion. By game 20, it’ll be about 70%. By game 30, it’s closing in on 80%.
So as Wizards fans, are you satisfied with a 25-28 win season with an AJ Dybantsa – Anthony Davis – Trae Young trio? But more urgently, are you satisfied with the Wizards being roughly 10-20 by the time the Christmas holiday comes around?
We are just two weeks away from Thanksgiving ladies and gentlemen. And I have a poll below from the feed. If the Wizards continue stagnating at a sub .500 win pace, do you think that this warrants changes like the coaching staff and/or midseason trades? Let us know below.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: Jonathan Bowlan #52 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts on the mound with teammate Alec Bohm #28 prior to leaving a game against the New York Mets in the eighth inning at Citi Field on September 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dave Dombrowski has done a lot of good things with the Phillies, the best being the ability to convince John Middleton to open his wallet for free agents. Some of his signings have stunk, but some have been quietly solid. Where he has struggled though is building a consistently good bullpen that will get the team from quality starts to victories. Once he traded for Jhoan Duran, he got himself a top notch end of game piece that locks down games for them, but he still needed some bridges to get to Duran. He had some, like Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm, but once Strahm was up for arbitration, they moved on from him in a trade. The player he acquired, Jonathan Bowlan, had a strong season in his first for the Phillies.
Bowlan was quite the find this year for the Phillies, eventually becoming their second most trusted reliever as the season wore on. That title belonged to Brad Keller at the beginning of the year, but the combination of the injury to Keller and effective pitching by Bowlan elevated him in the pecking order.
He used a hard, riding fastball to establish himself at the top of the zone quite well. Compared to league average, it had more “ride” than the rest of the league, which was surprising. He used that ride with velocity that hit triple digits a few times to get on top of hitters, complementing it with a slider that was a hard breaker down and away to righties, sent to the backfoot on lefties. He did all the things one wants a reliever to do: induce swing and miss, keep the ball on the ground (mostly) and be able to get outs on his own without relying on a leaky defense.
What went wrong
The biggest obstacle for Bowlan looked to be himself. He just wore down at the end of the year. Consider that on September 2, after his outing the night before, Bowlan had a nice ERA of 2.82 with peripherals and back of the baseball card numbers that looked just as good. Then, in his next five outings, he allowed a home run and was sent to the injured list for a breather.
When you struggled to earn the trust of a manager like Mattingly, gaining that trust back is difficult if there is an injury holding him back, but the playoff inning he threw looked like that trust was basically evaporated.
Final grade: B+
One of the major criticisms of Don Mattingly was his usage of the bullpen. Towards, the end of the season, there were only two relievers that he actually trusted, Bowlan being one of them, Jhoan Duran being the other. With Duran, there was not much of a time where he was warmed up without the intention of bringing him into the game. With Bowlan (and others), this was not the same case. The term that most use for this is “dry humping”, where relievers are warmed up, only to not be used in the game at all. Even if they aren’t used, getting them heated is still using them and wearing them down.
Bowlan probably led the league in this at the end of the year. It felt like each game where the Phillies at least sniffed a lead, Bowlan got heated, which likely caused some of his issues.
The team needs more bullpen arms to make sure this doesn’t happen yet again.
But some of the onus of improvement for Bowlan falls back into his own lap. Is there another gear he can kick into where he can take a leap into a different tier of reliever? The homer prone-ness he showed was concerning, but you do have to wonder if that was a combination of tired and/or hurt at the end of a long season of high leverage usage. Now that he has done it, he may be better prepared and can avoid or at the least improve on it. He’s an important part of this bullpen as currently constructed. He’s got to get better at the end of seasons.
(Original Caption) Carl Mays, New York Yankees Pitcher in action.
Carl Mays probably would’ve enjoyed one single entry in the annals of baseball lore that doesn’t mention the most regrettable of the thousands of pitches that he threw across a 15-year career that saw him capture four World Series titles. Alas, even on his 135th birthday, we cannot grant that wish. No matter how great he was on the mound, his story will always be tied to that of Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman. That’s just how it is.
Carl William Mays Born: November 12, 1891 (Liberty, KY) Died: April 4, 1971 (El Cajon, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1919-23
Mays was born in Kentucky to a Methodist minister named William Mays (ah, baseball coincidences), who died when Carl was just 12 years old. The family had moved to Missouri by then, but they packed up again after William’s death, en route to Kingfisher, Oklahoma. It was a sad time for Mays’ family, but he did get the opportunity to meet his cousin, John Long. He was a catcher, and he introduced Mays to the game. Pitching to Long, Mays developed the raw skills to attract the notice of traveling teams.
At the age of 20, Mays signed with the Class D Western Tri-State League’s Boise Irrigators, who offered him $90 per month. Mays was certainly worth the deal, as he pitched to a 2.08 ERA, 0.930 WHIP, and a 22-9 record in 280.2 innings. He moved up to the Class B team in Portland and again had a fine season, though won/loss record (10-15) deceived his true performance (2.45 ERA, 1.024 WHIP in 250 innings), and it was enough to get a new contract for 1914 with the Providence Grays, a Rhode Island team owned by the Detroit Tigers.
The Boston Red Sox purchased the Grays from the Tigers during the season, and Mays attracted Boston’s interested with a fantastic season: 24-8 and a 2.57 ERA in 273.1 innings. Another young pitcher joined him down the stretch named Babe Ruth, and their pitching helped Providence win the pennant. By the beginning of next season, Mays was a major-league pitcher.
The submariner worked mostly out of the bullpen in his rookie season, appearing in 38 games but 131.2 innings overall of 90 ERA- and 69 FIP- ball. He threw hard and was not at all afraid to throw high and inside to back hitters off the plate. Even as a rookie, he made an enemy of Ty Cobb, whose own nasty attitude clashed with Mays. On one occasion, Cobb was knocked down and then dragged a bunt up the first base line, where he spiked Mays with his sharp cleats and cut his leg. Boston and Detroit fought hard for the pennant in 1915; a 100-win season was not good enough to win the title for Detroit. Boston beat the Phillies in five games for the 1915 World Series title, but while he was a champion in his first season, Mays did not appear in any of the games.
The next couple seasons saw Mays slowly transition from splitting time more evenly between the ‘pen and rotation to becoming an established rotation presence and the ace of a championship staff. Although he was a bit of a loner, there was no denying his competitiveness on the mound. The Red Sox repeated as champions in 1916, and Mays had his best year in Boston in 1917, pitching to a 1.74 ERA (69 ERA-) in 289 innings while also unsurprisingly leading the league in hit by pitches. Only two pitchers in baseball had a better ERA than Mays that year and despite the HBPs, he had a 1.052 WHIP. His pitches simply sank, and many batters could not do any better than hitting it on the ground while hoping it found a hole in the infield:
Yankees infielder Roger Peckinpaugh said Mays threw “a very ‘heavy’ ball. It sinks and when you catch it, it feels heavy enough to almost go through your glove.” Horace Ford, who batted against Mays in the National League, said that hitting Mays’s fastball “was like hitting a chuck of lead. It would go clunk and you’d beat it into the ground.” – Allan Wood, SABR
Boston finished nine games behind the White Sox for the AL pennant that year, but another fine season by Mays in 1918 brought them back on top. While his ERA and ERA- jumped a bit to 2.21 and 84, respectively, his WHIP was almost identical and he led the league in both shutouts (8) and complete games (30). Those marks were made more impressive by the fact that the season ended early after 126 games on September 2nd due to World War I. The Red Sox played the Cubs in the Fall Classic, and Mays received the ball in Game 3 with the series tied at one game apiece. He beat the Cubs 2-1, going the distance with just one walk allowed, scattering seven hits. Boston and Chicago split the next two games, so Mays got the start in Game 6 to close out the Cubbies, and he did just that by spinning a three-hitter in another 2-1 victory. Mays was the last man to throw a pitch for a championship Red Sox team in the next 86 years.
Although his teammates were not fond of Mays for his somewhat antisocial personality and irritance on the mound when they committed errors, it seemed as though Boston and Mays had a fine relationship. It all came to a sudden halt in 1919. Boston struggled to give him much run support, and Mays became highly frustrated with the offense. From a personal standpoint, his Missouri home had burned down, and he grew so annoyed with the Philadelphia fans during one series that he hurled a baseball from the dugout at a fan. Finally, in a July 13th game against the White Sox, catcher Wally Schang clocked him in the head with a throw on a stolen base by Eddie Collins.
Soon afterward, manager and future Yankees GM Ed Barrow removed him from the game, and he stormed off the field, chucking the ball against the backstop. Mays was suspended by the Red Sox and told sportswriters that he demanded a trade. Soon, owner Harry Frazee obliged, sending Mays to the Yankees on July 29th in exchange for two unremarkable pitchers and $40,000.
“Carl, this is [co-owner] Cap Huston of the Yankees. I called to find out if you would be interested in pitching for the Yankees. If you are, there’s a good chance of my swinging a deal for you tonight, but I didn’t want to get all tangled up in negotiations if you wouldn’t pitch for us.” “Well, how about the money?” “We’ll have no problems there. Just pack your bag, and by the time you get here, we’ll be ready to talk contract.” – excerpted from Marty Appel’s “Pinstripe Empire”
AL president Ban Johnson was furious about the trade since a suspended player was dealt and essentially controlled his own fate over the authority of the Red Sox owner. The reserve clause was supposed to bind a player to his team without much control over it, but Mays worked around the system. He demanded that the trade be voided and that Mays be returned to Boston, but Yankee owners Jacob Ruppert and Cap Huston flat-out refused and told Johnson that if necessary, they would go to court to keep Mays on the Yankees. New York State Supreme Court Justice Robert F. Wagner granted a temporary injunction allowing Mays to pitch for the Yankees.
Johnson’s decision was rendered meaningless, and Mays made 13 starts for the Yankees down the stretch as the team bid to pass the infamous “Black Sox” in the AL pennant race. Although the White Sox ended up running away with the pennant as the Yankees finished in third place with an 80-59 record, it was not Mays’ fault by any means. He was outstanding, pitching to a 1.65 ERA and 51 ERA-, winning nine of his starts, completing all but one of them, and throwing a shutout as well. In just 13 starts, he was worth 2.6 rWAR and 2.2 fWAR for a rising Yankees team. They had their ace, and now they needed a hitting star. They enlisted Mays’ former rotationmate Ruth, who was a pretty fair hitter.
With Mays and Ruth in tow, the Yankees had a superb team ready for the 1920 campaign. They finished the year with a then-franchise record 95 wins and a .617 winning percentage, though they ended up behind pennant-winning Cleveland by two games. The race between the two teams was sadly marred by tragedy in a game on August 16th at the Yankees’ home, the Polo Grounds.
Mays was in the midst of another fine season, wherein he led the league with six shutouts, pitched 312 innings, and ended with a 3.06 ERA (81 ERA-). The unpopular Mays faced perhaps his polar opposite at the plate leading off the fifth inning in beloved Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman, a perennially fantastic player who had already amassed a 28.9 fWAR career in just nine years and 1,051 games with Cleveland. He was only 29, a potential Hall of Famer in the making. Even Cobb liked him. However, Chapman had a tendency to lean over the plate, and Mays threw an inside fastball toward him to start this at-bat. What happened next was unclear: either Chapman ducked unfortunately right into the ball’s path attempting a drag bunt, or he never moved at all. Either way, it got him square in the temple with a sickeningly loud crack.
It struck Chapman so hard that the ball caromed back toward the mound, and Mays’ immediate action was to throw the ball to first base in case it hit Chapman’s bat. Chapman’s teammates helped him off the field, as he was still conscious. They brought him to St. Lawrence Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured skull and died the next day, the only player to ever die as the result of a pitch in an MLB game.
“It was the most regrettable incident of my career, and I would give anything if I could undo what has happened.“ – Carl Mays
The whole incident was a horrible experience for everyone involved; Mays was contrite but overall did not handle it particularly well, noting that there was scuff on the ball (which he always normally liked to do anyway), and that he didn’t expect Chapman to duck into the ball. He insisted to his dying day that he did not throw at Chapman. Regardless, the tragedy only emphasized the reason why baseball banned the spitball at the beginning of the year, with only those who already threw it allowed to use it via grandfather clause. Strangely, it still took over 35 years before players started wearing helmets in the batter’s box.
Mays became synonymous with Chapman’s death, and while he pitched another nine years in The Show, most people only remember Mays for that tragic pitch. Mays’ best season in New York actually occurred the very next year. He did what he could to put the incident behind him and paced the league with 27 wins, 49 games (38 starts), and a career-high 336.2 innings pitched. He was brilliant in a 4.5-fWAR campaign, and the Bombers outlasted Cleveland to win their first pennant in franchise history. Mays completed nine of his ten starts down the stretch and even tossed in a relief appearance; the Yankees won all but one of those games.
In the first game of the unusual best-of-nine, all-Polo Grounds World Series against John McGraw’s Giants, Mays put the Yankees ahead with a dominant five-hit shutout. He didn’t walk anyone, and only two batters made it past first base. The teams split the next two games, and Mays had the chance to give the Yankees a 3-1 series lead in Game 4, but Phil Douglas outpitched him. Mays held a slim 1-0 lead into the top of the eighth, but an Irish Meusel triple, singles by Johnny Rawlings and Fred Snyder, and a two-run double by George Burns gave the Giants three runs. The Yankees lost 4-2 to even the series.
Manager Miller Huggins turned back to Mays on just two days’ rest in Game 7 with the series even at 3-3. The only other starter in the pitching well was Waite Hoyt, so the Yankees were desperate. Mays did just about all he could do, allowing just six hits to the Giants, but a two-out double by Snyder in the seventh scored Rawlings, who reached on an error by second baseman Aaron Ward. Again, the Yankees were unable to do much against Douglas, and they lost 2-1. The Giants finished off the series five games to three on the strength of a 1-0 four-hit shutout by Art Nehf against Hoyt. There was some talk that Mays fixed the game in the two losses, but that was never proven and seems highly risky and unlikely given the then-recent lifetime bans suffered by the “Black Sox” players who threw the 1919 World Series. The Giants were just a damn good team, and they beat one of the best pitchers in baseball during the tiring late innings of two games.
With almost 2,000 regular season and playoff innings on Mays’ arm in seven seasons, he began to decline somewhat at age 30 in 1922. He was still a solid pitcher with a 3.60 ERA and a 90 ERA-, but he was never as dominant as he was in ‘21 ever again. The Yankees won their second straight pennant in ’22 and again faced McGraw’s Giants in the World Series. This time, it was not nearly as close. The series returned to a best-of-seven and the Giants won Games 1 and 3 to take a 2-0 lead (Game 2 ended in a 3-3 tie called on account of darkness). Mays got the nod in Game 4, but despite getting staked to an early two-run advantage, a four-run fifth led to a 4-3 loss. The Giants finished off their undefeated series with a 5-3 victory in Game 5, as Nehf finished off the Yankees for the second straight year.
The Yankees had grown weary of Mays by 1923, and they reportedly sought to trade him before the season. Nothing happened though, so Huggins just barely used him throughout the Yankees’ pennant three-peat. Mays pitched poorly when he did appear, so it was not as though the Yankees were squandering anyone valuable. He did not appear in the Fall Classic of the Yankees’ first championship, as they finally beat the Giants.
The Cincinnati Reds bought Mays from the Yankees after the ’23 campaign, and he managed to stick around with them for five more years, alternating between healthy and injury-plagued seasons. He had a comeback season at age 34 in ’26, leading the NL with 24 complete games and pitching to a 3.14 ERA (85 ERA-) in 281 innings, a 4.7 fWAR season. The Reds finished just two games behind the Cardinals for the NL pennant. Exhausted, Mays pitched just 144.2 innings over his next two years with the Reds, and finished his MLB career with one mediocre season on McGraw’s Giants as the decade came to a close.
Mays pitched two years in the minor league American Association and Pacific Coast League, then officially ended his playing career at age 40. His baseball career did not fully conclude though; he had made amends with the Cleveland organization and scouted for them, Milwaukee, and Kansas City over the next 20 years. He lived until he was 79 years old, passing away in ‘71 with the game a whole lot different than it was when he began. Mays was a crucial member of the first Yankee teams of any sustained success, and his contributions to those teams should not be forgotten.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
