Carter Hart has been a thorn in the Colorado Avalanche’s side before, helping the Vegas Golden Knights sweep Colorado in the Western Conference Final. But his latest outing was one he would probably like to forget, and it could open the door for Adin Hill to get another start.
Hart gave up three goals in just over five minutes during Monday’s 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Matt Boldy, Maxim Shabanov and Danila Yurov all scored in the first period, putting Vegas in an early hole.
Hart settled down after that, stopping the rest of the shots he faced. Vegas also made a push late in the game, with goals from Rasmus Andersson and William Karlsson cutting Minnesota’s lead to 3-2. However, Joel Eriksson Ek’s empty-net goal ended any hopes of a comeback.
Nazem Kadri speaks to the media following practice on Monday.
Hart finished with 24 saves on 27 shots, dropping to 3-2-0 in five starts this season. It was his second loss of the campaign and the second time in five appearances he has allowed more than two goals.
Adin Hill could get the chance to take over Tuesday against the Nashville Predators. According to reports, Hill is the likely starter as Vegas plays the second game of a back-to-back. Hart could return Thursday against the Calgary Flames.
For the Golden Knights, the priority is getting more consistent play in net. Both goaltenders have shown they can bounce back from rough starts, but Vegas cannot afford to keep digging itself into early holes.
And for Avalanche fans, Hart’s recent struggles are probably exciting to some degree, albeit it would be nice if that were to occur while both teams were facing off against one another.
The Golden Knights have eliminated the Avalanche in each of their last two playoff meetings, including a six-game series in 2021, when Colorado entered the postseason as the Presidents’ Trophy winners. If these rivals meet again in the playoffs, hopefully the Avalanche can turn the tables this time around.
It didn’t take long for Jaylen Brown to bring one of his new Sixers teammates onto his Twitch stream.
On October 9, just one day before Philadelphia faced Boston in a preseason matchup, V.J. Edgecombe joined Brown on the stream. Brown, who was making his first return to TD Garden since joining the Sixers, did not play in the game and reportedly watched from the locker room.
Jaylen Brown reportedly decided to watch the 76ers-Celtics preseason game in the locker room in his return to Boston 🤔
The Sixers won’t play in Boston again until January 2027 👀 https://t.co/aSnyiLui8h
Although Brown’s return to Boston drew attention, his focus is already on building chemistry with his new teammates in Philadelphia.
He recently spoke about his plans to bring more Sixers players onto his stream, explaining that several teammates had already expressed interest in joining him.
“I can’t wait to introduce you to some of my teammates who have been hitting me up like ‘I want to be on the stream’ so I can’t wait to tap in, for y’all to tap in with some of them.
“For the most part we’ve been vibing, man. Everything’s been smooth, we’ve just been getting acclimated.”
Brown also explained why he sees streaming as an opportunity to connect with his teammates beyond basketball.
“We ain’t gonna be on here doing nothing just letting you get to know us as human beings, being authentic, but also just building team chemistry. I think building chemistry is important for a team to be able to vibe in order to try to accomplish goals. I wasn’t as successful in my attempts of being able to get more guys on my previous team, so hopefully this team I’ll be able to be more successful in getting guys.”
Jaylen Brown says he’ll try to get more Sixers teammates on stream compared to how it went in Boston:
“I wasn’t as successful in my attempts in being able to get more guys on my previous team (on stream). I think it’s the uncomfortably streaming… like you say the wrong thing is taken out of context. I’m not sugarcoating nothing.”
Brown didn’t have to wait long to make good on that plan. Edgecombe soon joined the stream, giving the two an opportunity to get to know each other outside of the practice facility.
After briefly connecting with teammate Justin Edwards on FaceTime, Brown and Edgecombe turned their attention to getting to know each other better. Their conversation touched on Edgecombe’s upbringing in the Bahamas, his family and even a hypothetical question about which teammate he would choose to survive with on a deserted island.
Edgecombe’s answer? Brown.
It might seem like a small, lighthearted moment, but these are the kinds of interactions that can help teammates develop a connection away from the court.
With the regular season still ahead, Brown is already taking steps toward the team chemistry he believes is essential to success. And if his Twitch stream is any indication, those connections are beginning to take shape.
Edgecombe and Brown shared the court for the first time in the Sixers’ preseason opener against the Knicks on October 5. Just one game together was enough for Brown to come away impressed.
Their partnership is still taking shape, but Edgecombe already trusts Brown enough to pick him for a deserted island. Sharing an NBA court should give them plenty more opportunities to build on that.
The pair will put that chemistry to the test when the Sixers open the regular season against the defending champion Knicks on Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.
Mar 30, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt (12) talks with media members before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Welcome to Tuesday A’s fans.
The Cleveland Guardians won the first game of the ALCS, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 thanks to some late offense. That’s put the Guardians just three games away from the World Series. Since the Cubs’ record-breaking World Series win 2016 (over Cleveland of all teams), the Guardians’ franchise is the holder of the second-longest championship drought across all four major American sports leagues at 78 years(!). Only the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals have gone longer since their last ring. Lots of the baseball world is pulling for them because no city should have to wait that long for a parade.
A’s fans are also rooting not only for their fellow low-spending club, that team’s skipper is longtime Athletic and beloved member Stephen Vogt, who suited up for the A’s from 2013 to mid-2017, and then wrapped his career with one more season in the Green & Gold. Though he’s retired, he hasn’t left baseball, the dugout, or A’s fans hearts.
Always regarded as a future manager, he got that first gig faster than a lot of people probably expected, only spending one year with the Seattle Mariners as their bullpen coach before getting the Guardians’ gig, replacing another strong manager in Terry Francona. High expectations when you’re taking over for a Hall of Fame manager like Tito but his time guiding the Guardians has been nothing short of exceptional. He’s now got his team just three wins away from the World Series in his third year managing the ballclub. A’s fans don’t have much to root for left in these playoffs except for some good baseball, but seeing our beloved Vogt win a ring would be nice to see. Just wish he was the one managing the A’s.
While the Fall Classic is fast approaching and with it the offseason, the A’s still don’t yet have their next voice in the front office selected. Former Athletic Sam Fuld reportedly was offered the President of Baseball Operations role but rejected that and will stay second-in-command in Philadelphia. Red Sox executive Taylor Smith is rumored to be the pick but until there’s confirmation we can’t say for sure one way or the other. It’s going to be really interesting to see which direction the A’s go. Do they stick with experienced options like Mike Rizzo or do they go after a young guy like Smith? Still lots of candidates to choose from and with the postseason getting closer to its end the A’s will need to be making this decision soon. Perhaps even today.
Second game of the ALCS starts at 5:00 West Coast time. Have a great day guys.
Former San Francisco Giants executive discusses the A's front office opening, how he'd approach the role, and some key questions he'd want answered. https://t.co/CVmpXqmKBC
Watching the playoffs tonight with my kids and here's the rundown: – Megan Fox selling ED pills in a red bodysuit – The scariest movie trailer you've ever seen – Sydney Sweeney in zero clothes…
The get-in price for Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday were $176 on Sunday morning. They have dropped about 50% tonight on @TickPick after the Dodgers lost to trail the Brewers 2-0. The NLCS get-in prices are now:
The Florida Panthers suffered a second consecutive loss on Monday afternoon, dropping a matinee in Buffalo 5-3 to the host Sabres.
Panthers starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom played a strong first period, stopping nine of 11 shots, including all four high danger shots sent his way by Buffalo.
Markstrom did not return for the second period, though, with backup netminder Akira Schmid finishing off the game for Florida.
Afterward, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice provided an update on Markstrom, indicating that the injury was nothing sinister.
“It just tightened up so we pulled him,” said Maurice. “We’ll see. There’s no injury there we don’t think that we can’t deal with, just standard stuff.”
Through five starts, Markstrom has been solid for the Panthers between the pipes.
He’s stopped 85 of the 94 shots he’s faced, good for a .904 save percentage to go with a tidy 2.03 goals against average.
When facing high danger chances, that’s where Markstrom has really shined for Florida.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Markstrom has saved 23 of the 25 high danger shots he’s faced, which would rank him third among goaltenders who have seen at least 20 high danger shots this season.
Hopefully for the Panthers, whatever kept Markstrom from finishing Monday’s game wont be anything that lingers.
There was also something else that happened Monday in Buffalo that is worth a mention.
New Panthers forward Brady Tkachuk picked up his first point with the team, picking up an assist on Sam Reinhart’s first power play goal of the game.
It was no ordinary assist, either, as Tkachuk sent a perfect pass that was also between-the-legs and backwards-facing to Reinhart, who then had a yawning cage to deposit the puck into.
BRADY TKACHUK BETWEEN-THE-LEGS FEED TO REINHART TO TIE IT 😮💨
We’ll see if this leads to the younger Tkachuk starting to pile up some points, as his brother Matthew now has a five-game point streak going in which he’s scored three goals.
So far through six games, Brady Tkachuk has the one point, 15 shots on 31 attempts, 26 hits, nine penalty minutes and a minus-5 on-ice rating while winning 61.3% of the 31 faceoffs he’s taken.
“I’ve been fine with his game,” said Maurice. “He’s netfront and battling all night, one went for him. I thought he was close to that happening five or six times since he’s been here, so I haven’t spent any time worrying about his points. He’s fine.”
Photo caption: Sep 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers goaltenderJacobMarkstrom(25) leaves the ice after warm ups before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Parker Messick #77 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after a strike out against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning in game four of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 08, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One down, three more wins to make the World Series.
The Guardians surprised many people by taking the Drew Rasmussen game. Longtime Guardians fans likely know that Nick Martinez is the one who truly owns Cleveland, but that’s a game three problem. Tonight, the Guardians look to get a good performance from Parker Messick and hit Freddy Peralta.
Let’s talk about some keys to winning tonight:
Get the Signature Messick Moment: Messick may be tiring as he is now at 193 innings-pitched for the year. But, during the season, he was the sixth best pitcher in MLB. The Guardians need him to be that again, playing in his old stomping grounds growing up, to have a chance at really flipping this series upside down. He will need to navigate the lefty mashing Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero danger spots in the Rays order effectively to have a good outing tonight.
Get Steven Kwan, Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez and/or Brayan Rocchio to Have THE Game: Kwan and Bazzana have had some singles and some walks, while Rocchio has yet to do anything notable for the past three games and Martinez got his first playoff hit last night. It feels like any one of these four are always on the verge of breaking out and that could give the Guardians an edge any given night.
Don’t Get Dominated by the Peralta Changeup: Freddy Peralta has pitched much better since joining the Rays (putting up an 0.96 ERA in September) and his changeup has been his most effective out pitch. Changeups give the Guardians trouble but they did just enough to score a couple off another effective changeup artist in Drew Rasmussen last night. The Rays are aggressive and go right after hitters in the zone, so the Guardians were aggressive last night to great effect. They need to continue being aggressive on strikes early in counts and fight off changeups late. The Rays pen, outside Bryan Baker, SHOULD be vulnerable and made more so if the Guardians can, again, force them to use multiple arms from it.
Don’t Get Caught in the Chaos: The Rays are going to lean into hit-and-run, bunting, basestealing and chaos baseball tonight to try to shake up a rolling Guardians’ team. Defense needs to be sound and mental states need to be especially sharp to survive the onslaught approaching.
I would assume Austin Hedges gets the Messick start again, but would not oppose riding the incredible Patrick Bailey heater going on right now. What a fun game last night – let’s do it again. Go Guardians!
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics is introduced before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2023, 2024 and 2025 drafts all saw the Celtics select wings with their top pick. In all three cases, they found contributing players in Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez. With Jayson Tatum and Paul George being the starters on the wing, it leaves a murky role for Sam Hauser.
Hauser even said that the young wings are looking good.
“Jordan, Baylor, Hugo, Ron [Harper Jr.] all throughout this point in training camp have looked really good,” Hauser said at his media availability on Tuesday. “That’s awesome for our team because those four guys bring a different dynamic to what we’re trying to do. We’re excited to see what they can do for us throughout the year.”
Sam Hauser still matters — he is Boston’s best catch and shoot guy and Jayson Tatum has always elevated his game. According to StatMuse, in games that Jayson Tatum did not play, Hauser shot 40.3% from three. In games that Tatum did play, Hauser shot 41.7% from three.
According to databallr, since the start of the 2022-23 season, the Celtics offensive rating with just Tatum and no Hauser on the court is 121.2; when Hauser and Tatum share the court, that number jumps to 123.7.
The Celtics are going to run their ‘Jayson Tatum plus the bench’ lineups this year. Those lineups should include Hauser, whose spacing helps those lineups a lot.
In the Celtics first preseason game, Hauser came off of the bench. He played 21 minutes and had 11 points on 4/6 from the field and 3/5 from three. Boston used him in different ways than they typically do as well.
Last year was Hauser’s worst 3-point percentage of his career at 39%, still a very good number but not in the 40’s which we have become accustomed to. His shooting is so valuable to this Celtics team. While Walsh, Scheierman and Gonzalez are all good players that could push Hauser out of town eventually, the reason he remains a Celtic is his three-point shot.
His ability to shoot standing still and off of movement is so important to what Boston does. Defenses have to respect him as a shooter because he will burn them if they don’t. For a team that takes as many threes as Boston does, Hauser plays a key role.
However, it does need to be mentioned that Boston’s three young wings do a lot of things that Hauser does not do. They are all better defenders than Hauser is, they all offensive rebound better than Hauser does and both Scheierman and Gonzalez have shown that they can play with the ball in their hands more than Hauser can.
That’s not to say that Hauser is a bad defender — they don’t call it ‘Hauser Island’ for no reason. Or that he can’t dribble at all; it’s just that the younger wings on the roster have proven to be better at it than Sam is.
As Hauser also said at his media availability, everyone is going to have a chance to prove they belong on the court.
“Pretty much throughout Joe’s coaching career to this point, I feel like one through seventeen we’ve all had a chance to play, all have had a chance to play good minutes and contributed to a lot of wins throughout the years,” he said. “The next man up mentality has kind of been our thing.”
Hauser is on a very tradable contract. He is owed $35 million over the next 3 years and $10.8 million this year. Boston is currently $10.3 million under the first apron, where they are hard-capped due to the Mitchell Robinson signing. The C’s have a $27.7 million trade exception from the Anfernee Simons trade last February they can use to acquire someone. If they pair Hauser’s money with the exception and some of the draft capital they got for Jaylen Brown, the Celtics can make a difference making trade at the deadline if they so choose.
The Celtics are going to need Sam Hauser this year. His catch and shoot game is too valuable for him not to be a fact on this team. However, with some younger wings on the roster, Hauser’s time in Boston could be coming to an end sooner rather than later.
Even if most of Hauser’s time as a Celtic is done, he will still help the Celtics win basketball games as long as he is in green.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 11: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 11, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers wrap up their preseason schedule as they head to the Sunshine State to take on the Orlando Magic once again.
The Cavs are expected to play their starters more than they did in Sunday’s game. Then, the regular rotation played through the third quarter before the two-ways and the Exhibit 10 contract players got their shot. Tonight, I’d expect the starters to go into the fourth.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has talked about wanting to find lineup combinations that work in these preseason games. That would be one thing to keep an eye on in this contest. Particularly, how they split up the core four between Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen with the bench units.
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: A close up view of an Arizona Diamondbacks cap logo prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
RHP Gerardo Carrillo Carrillo was signed as a Minor League free agent in the offseason, and after eight seasons in the Minors, he made his big league debut in late July at age 27.
Carrillo allowed a run in two innings in that game, then rattled off nine straight appearances (14 1/3 innings) without allowing an earned run and striking out 18.
With several relievers set to depart via free agency, Carrillo could be a big contributor in the Arizona ‘pen in 2027, provided he finds a way to improve his control. Overall, he allowed 16 walks (one intentional) over 17 1/3 innings.
“He has electric stuff,” Slivka said. “Upper 90s fastball, low-to-mid 90s cutter, a nasty split. We saw some inconsistencies with control. When he got sent down, we worked through some things in his delivery to help him find the zone more frequently, and he really started to dial things in.”
Pena slashed .305/.345/.555 for a .900 OPS between the two levels. His sky-high numbers in Amarillo evened out a bit in Reno, where he posted just a .746 OPS, however.
Pena certainly strikes out a lot (119 in 2026) and could use a more all-field approach, but the raw power is clearly there, and the Diamondbacks desperately need power production from their first base position.
Pena likely won’t make the majors out of camp, but he’s a name that could find its way to the big league level in the coming season if he produces early and shows improvement.
The Guardians have landed the first punch in the ALCS, stunning the widely favored Rays with a come-from-behind win in Game 1 on Monday night.
The Guardians’ 7-3 win looked so much different for the first six innings, with the Rays in full control and playing their famous, airtight brand of baseball. Once that door cracked open, though, the Guardians burst through with the combination of power and timely hitting that got them here in the first place.
Batters have been more successful on robot umpire challenges in the playoffs than during the regular season, and teams are utilizing the Automated Ball-Strike System more overall in its postseason debut.
Seventy-one of 121 overall challenges under ABS prevailed during the 25 games of the Wild Card Series and Division Series. The 59% success rate was up from 54% during the regular season. That includes an improvement for batters to 57% (29 of 51) from 49%.
It’s not that hitters are necessarily being more conservative, either. Teams are challenging more in the postseason overall, with 4.8 per game compared to 4.3 during the regular season. Batter challenges are up to 2.04 per game from 1.96.
If the Dodgers do take Ohtani out of the lineup, it’d very likely mean the first career playoff start for 21-year-old Josue De Paula. The Dodgers have carried the top prospect as a bench bat after calling him up in September. De Paula hasn’t shied away from the moment, working two walks in three postseason plate appearances. He took a crucial base on balls against Didier Fuentes to help the Dodgers take a decisive lead in Game 4 of their Division Series. De Paula kept Game 1 of the NLCS alive by working a two-out walk against Trevor Megill in the ninth inning, but Mookie Betts flew out to end the game 2-1.
Ian Happ is one of the most underappreciated Cubs — maybe ever.
He’s played 10 seasons with the team, producing 25.3 bWAR. That ranks 27th among all Cubs position players — ever. He has hit 197 home runs with the team, which ranks 11th in team history — one behind Hank Sauer for 10th. He’s won four Gold Gloves and is likely to get a fifth when those awards are announced next month.
And yet, Happ seems disliked by many Cubs fans. Why? Maybe it’s the batting average. He hit a career-low .218 in 2026 and his career BA is just .243.
As most of us know, batting average is not a good way to make a complete evaluation of a player. Happ walks. A lot. His 621 walks rank 15th in franchise history and his .341 career OBP is pretty good, as is his .442 career SLG, which ranks 43rd in team history.
Is Happ a great player? No, he’s not. Is he a solid building block any team should be happy to have? Absolutely, and beyond that are the compliments his teammates gave him after the season ended, starting with Dansby Swanson:
“He’s meant a lot to me,” Swanson finally continued. “I think he truly embodies what it means to wear the jersey. And I know he would probably never say that himself, but the tradition and legacy that I feel like he’s carried on from that ’16 team, just the lessons that he has learned, he’s taught me a lot.
“He’s one of my longest friends that I’ve had here, so yeah, that probably speaks enough for itself. He embodies the Cubs more than anyone I know. He’s a big reason why I’m here, and I’m very thankful for him.”
“Happer, he is the Chicago Cubs,” said center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. “I know he loves this place and he kind of helped teach me how to love this place and play here. He’s played a very big role in this version of me so far up to this point.”
You might not think those things matter. I think they do. Clearly players think they do.
Now, having said all that, I would think the Cubs would hesitate signing a guy coming off a pretty bad year to any sort of long-term extension. Yesterday I wrote about Seiya Suzuki and how much I think he means to the Cubs and how they should bend every effort to keep him.
Happ and Suzuki are almost exactly the same age — Happ is six days older. My personal feeling is that Suzuki will age better than Happ will and that Suzuki is more worth a long-term deal.
The most I would give Happ is a one-year deal with a vesting option. If he has a good year in 2027, then sure, extend him into 2028. The Cubs will almost certainly make him a qualifying offer and he just might take it. I’d be okay with that, too.
The alternative might be some sort of combination of Kevin Alcántara, Pedro Ramírez and Matt Shaw in left field for the Cubs in 2027, and personally, I think that would be a significant downgrade.
The wounds of a devastating sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays are still fresh for the Yankees, as they come to terms with another disappointing end to a season this week. As we begin what’s likely going to be a long and dreadfully boring offseason with the impending lockout, it’s time to look back.
Every year, we at Pinstripe Alley look back at the best and worst moments from the past season in the immediate aftermath of its conclusion. After Andrés helped us remember some of the low points, it’s time to remember that there were, in fact, some good moments from this season.
Honorable mentions
Jordan Romano’s Two Meltdowns (April 13/15th vs LAA): As part of a weird, early-season split with the Angels, the Yankees trailed after eight innings in all four games, but won two of them. Against their former Blue Jays adversary, the Yankees came back to win both games, first via a Trent Grisham game-tying homer and a walk-off wild pitch on the 13th, and then a two-run double by José Caballero on the 15th after an odd dropped pop-up. It was a good, early-season vibe boost.
A 13-Run Third Inning (May 31st @ ATH): This game is more notable for being the final one that Aaron Judge played before finally reporting the stress fracture in his rib, but it was one of the more surreal innings of the season. After Will Warren gave up three runs in the first and Jacob Lopez flummoxed the Yankees through two innings, they scored 13 runs in the third on 11 hits, four walks, four stolen bases, and zero home runs. It was tied for the biggest inning the franchise had seen since 1920.
Three Comebacks In The Nation’s Capital (July 10-12th @ WSH): A lot of these moments are based on vibes, and the trio of comebacks against the Nationals before the All-Star break were incredibly needed for a reeling Yankees team coming off a 4-15 slide. Two of the comebacks came off former Yankees in Matt Krook and Clayton Beeter, while the latter was driven by a massive two-run triple by Ben Rice late in the game.
David Bednar Caps Bullpen Day Victory (July 19th vs LAD): David Bednar had a ton of big saves this season, but none were greater than his five-out save to prevent a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium right after the All-Star break, especially after Yoshinobu Yamamoto wrecked a depleted offense in the day game of that doubleheader.
Luis Garcia Jr., Welcome to the Bronx (August 3rd vs STL): In the immediate aftermath of an underwhelming Trade Deadline, the Yankees fell behind 6-0 early to the Cardinals, but hit four home runs to fight their way back, including a picturesque bomb from García in his Yankees debut. This would be in the top five if they won, but Angel Chivilli imploded approximately five minutes later.
The Final Series Against Boston (August 28-30th vs BOS): Aside from a sleepy opening to the Saturday doubleheader, the Yankees put together three inspiring performances to effectively clinch the top wild card and end the Red Sox’s mad dash towards them in the standings. Cody Bellinger’s incredible throw on Friday night and Warren’s mastery on Sunday amidst a 16-1 blowout were great moments on their own.
The Final Day of True Hope (September 14th vs MIN): The Yankees clinched the playoffs and popped bottles in Minnesota, a place that they have dominated for the last 25 years. Clinching does nothing for this franchise, so the real cathartic moment was seeing Judge, amidst a post-injury slump, finally get going with a titanic home run that made you believe he was back. Two days later, he suffered a season-ending calf strain. This game embodied the fleeting hope of the season.
5. A Rare, Well-Timed Triumph In Extra Innings
August 7th vs. ATL
When you look at a 162-game season for best moments, what should you look for? What felt best in the moment, or what was best for the season? In that week alone, the debut of George Lombard Jr. and García’s mammoth home run against the Cardinals that was immediately wasted, were some of the most exciting moments of the season, but neither meant much in the grand scheme of things.
Some moments are more in-the-moment vibes-based, but others look more like the bigger picture. Put yourself back in the headspace of where the Yankees were entering a three-game weekend series against the NL East-leading Braves. They entered the day just a half game ahead of the blisteringly hot Red Sox, who had won 31 of 36 entering play. That night, Boston destroyed the hapless Athletics, 13-1, putting the pressure on the Yanks.
Even more daunting? That outcome was explicitly known well before this one entered the late innings. A nearly two-hour rain delay meant Boston was well on their way to victory at Fenway by the time the game started. The Braves broke a scoreless tie with an Austin Riley home run off Fernando Cruz in the eighth. The reality was setting in: the Yankees were about to fully blow a 15.5-game lead on the Red Sox… in 44 days.
As midnight approached, with one out against lockdown closer Raisel Iglesias, Lombard, in his third major league game, dribbled a chopper back to the mound and beat it out for an infield single. He was able to scamper all the way to third after a wild throw from Iglesias sailed over Matt Olson at first. There’s the spark.
After Ryan McMahon struck out, the Yankees were down to their final out. Two pitches later, Austin Wells ripped a double down the right-field line to score Lombard and get into scoring position as the tying run. Amed Rosario, who never takes at-bats against right-handed pitching, drew a gritty, eight-pitch walk to bring up Rice, who was in a dreadful 0-for-17 slide to start August.
With the weight of the Bronx on his shoulders, the Yankees’ DH smoked a ball 103.4 mph to right field. A little higher and it’s a walk-off home run, but it was hard enough and high enough to spook Acuña into playing it conservatively off the wall instead of trying to leap for it to end the game. Wells scored the tying run, but Rosario was held at third. He’d be stranded shortly after, but the Yankees had life into extras.
The Yankees are terrible in extras. Even at home, where they’ve been pretty good since the Manfred Man was introduced, they didn’t get a single hit in extra innings all season. They needed David Bednar to be crisp, and he was to get Sean Murphy and Jim Jarvis. With two outs and the go-ahead run on second, Acuña blooped a ball into no-man’s land in right field. García, in just his fourth game as a Yankee, made one of the best defensive plays of his career to keep this game tied.
Tyler Kinley was tasked with getting through the 11th for Atlanta and almost did so. A horrendous bunt attempt by Caballero resulted in a foul-bunt strikeout. An intentional walk to Spencer Jones and a six-pitch walk by Lombard loaded the bases with one out for McMahon, the team’s worst hitter all season, with major contact issues. Needing him to just lift a fly ball, that’s exactly what he did to walk it off with a sac fly.
Baseball is unfortunately a game of momentum. Who has it, and who doesn’t. The Red Sox had it; the Yankees absolutely didn’t. If Boston passed them that night, I’m not so sure that this season wouldn’t end in embarrassment at Fenway Park in the Wild Card Series, even if the mirage that was the July Red Sox came to light eventually.
4. Ben Rice’s Ultimate Redemption
August 16th @ TOR
Some things don’t need that full-season perspective. Some things can just feel cathartic, as they did in the rubber game of a three-game set in Toronto in mid-August.
The Yankees were winning another one of those low-scoring games they made their signature for much of this season, doing just enough against Dylan Cease to hold a 2-1 lead after eight (that was almost 3-1 after Caballero’s unique rundown). All they needed was three outs from Bednar.
It was rare in the second half that you’d see Rice play first base, but in the immediate aftermath of García’s game-losing throwing error against the Jays two nights earlier, maybe Aaron Boone thought to give Rice some reps. Bednar got ahead 0-2 on Josh H. Smith, who chopped a ball to first. It took a weird hop on Rice, as is usual on the turf, and he booted it for a leadoff E3.
As we know, playing the Blue Jays, that came back to bite the Yankees. Alejandro Kirk worked a walk, Ali Sanchez failed to block a splitter in the dirt allowing both runners to advance with one out, and Ernie Clement tied the game with a sac fly. An unearned run would force the Yankees to play in road extras, their kryptonite.
Fortunately for Rice, he got to immediately rectify it at the plate. After a sac bunt by Caballero, Rice lit up a 2-0 slider and deposited it into the right-field seats for a go-ahead 437-foot home run.
In a place that was a House of Horrors for them in 2025, it was extremely satisfying to see the team win a game in this fashion to contribute to what would be a last-place Blue Jays team. You usually get a chance to redeem your defensive mistakes, if only the Yankees had embraced that in some of their recent playoff exits.
3. Bellinger and Schlittler Finish Fenway Sweep
April 23rd @ BOS
Sweeping a rival is fun. It doesn’t happen for the Yankees very often because of how hyper-competitive the AL East is, but it did happen a few times this season, which led to some extremely satisfying games to watch. One of those series came in April against a then-spiraling Red Sox team. Dominant starts from Luis Gil and Max Fried generated a pair of low-scoring wins to start the series, but the finale would be the most satisfying of them all.
Cam Schlittler was making his first career start in Fenway, the ballpark he grew up idolizing as a child, just six months after he joined all-time Boston infamy with his Game 3 start in last year’s Wild Card Series. It got off to a shaky start, but the likely Cy Young winner settled in around an RBI double by Marcelo Mayer and a home run by former Yankee Carlos Narvaez to eventually get through eight strong innings in his Fenway debut.
Against the powerful lefty, Payton Tolle, the Yankees were completely silenced for much of the night. A fifth-inning homer by Jazz Chisholm Jr. briefly tied it, but the Yankees entered the seventh inning with a 2-1 deficit, as Tolle exited for a Boston bullpen that would eventually rank as No. 1 in baseball.
But at that point? They were vulnerable. Danny Coloumbe came out for the seventh and allowed three singles to his first four hitters, but he rebounded to strike out Wells to bring them within an out of getting out of it. Hunting a matchup with Rosario, Alex Cora made the move to Greg Weissert with the bases loaded and two out, only for Boone to counter with Bellinger.
In what would be the start of his year of torturing the Red Sox, the legacy Yankee ripped a two-run single to give the Yankees the lead. Three pitches later, Judge followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2. A five-single inning for a team that usually relies on the long ball only further buried the Red Sox in the dread they were in.
Schlittler and Bednar combined to retire the final nine batters they faced to secure the sweep, in which the Yankees allowed three total runs. The rare Fenway sweep sunk the beleaguered Sox to 9-16 and almost certainly served as the final nail in the coffin for Cora, who was unemployed three days later. It’s satisfying to know your team caused a rival to purge an entire coaching staff.
2. Bullpen Holds On For Dear Life on Emotional Day in the Bronx
September 11th vs. NYM
This game kinda sucked, but the only thing that mattered was that the Yankees won the Battle of New York in an emotional night in the Bronx on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. It was one that the Yankees took control of early with a big second-inning blast by Bellinger and a fifth-inning opposite-field blast by Rice against the Mets’ young ace, Nolan McLean.
With a 5-1 lead in the seventh, Carlos Rodón wrapped up a great outing with 6.1 strong innings, but was removed after a one-out single by Carson Benge. The ever-reliable Paul Blackburn entered, but he was one of several Yankees relievers who didn’t have it that night. A walk to Marcus Semien, an RBI single by A.J. Ewing, and a walk to Francisco Alvarez loaded the bases with two outs for Francisco Lindor, the go-ahead run at the plate. Brent Headrick came in, battled a distraction with a streaker on the field, and won a seven-pitch at-bat by catching a scorched comebacker to end the inning.
The drama wouldn’t end there, though. After getting a quick first out in the eighth, Headrick allowed a single to Bo Bichette before issuing back-to-back walks to load the bases again with one out. It forced Boone to go to Bednar earlier than he wanted, but the Yankees’ closer got the last two outs, only allowing one run on a sac fly.
The Mets sent Jack Weisenburger for the ninth to clean things up, but the Yankees added some needed insurance. Singles by García and Jones and a sac bunt by Lombard put two in scoring position with one out to set up McMahon, who blooped a shallow fly ball to left field in front of Juan Soto. Never a good defender, the former Yankee let it drop for an RBI single that made it 6-3.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be easy in the ninth. Ewing blasted a home run to lead off the ninth against Bednar, and Lindor singled with one out to bring the tying run to the plate, who was, of course, Soto. The former Yankee, being relentlessly booed every at-bat, stepped up as the tying run in the Bronx on 9/11 against an All-Star closer. This was the type of baseball you dream of. In a satisfying ending for the Yankees, Soto bounced into a game-ending 3-6-3 double play, partially due to a balky calf that forced him to take it easy with the game on the line. Oh well.
The Yankees didn’t win a game in the month of October this year. Their early exit for the second straight year has ultimately made this season another tremendous failure, but there were meaningful games in September against a hated rival that allowed everyone, regardless of how they felt about the roster or management, to relish in its beauty.
Schlittler dominated in Game 1, and the Yankees blew it open late. That was fun, sure, but the most fun part about playing a rival in the playoffs is the ability to eliminate them. It was a tall task against the MLB’s win leader in Sonny Gray, but the Yankees rode a great start from Max Fried and some questionable managing from Chad Tracy to a late lead.
Up 2-1 in the sixth, the Yankees rallied against two elite guys named Garrett: Crochet and Whitlock. A dropped third strike, stolen base, and error got Spencer Jones to third; he scored on a Lombard RBI single, and the Yankees grew the lead to 5-1 with productive outs by Wells and McMahon. An intentional walk to Rice put two on with two outs for Bellinger. Just as he did to end Cora’s managerial tenure in Boston in April, it was his swing that ended the Red Sox’s season, blowing the game open and turning the final few innings into a party in the Bronx.
There was no better moment than that. No matter what happened after, there’s no more true bliss than that.
Quad Cities' Austin Charles celebrates after an RBI double during a Midwest League West Divisional playoff game against the South Bend River Bandits Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, at Four Winds Field in South Bend, Indiana. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Royals’ High-A affiliate Quad Cities River Bandits had an awesome season. They went 70-57 in the regular season and won the Midwest League West Division in the second half of the season. They went a perfect 4-0 in the playoffs to win the 2026 Midwest League Championship.
There was plenty of good stuff that come from this season. Let’s dive into it.
The good from the position players:
Blake Mitchell had a very mixed bag type of season, with his final slash line being .234/.414/.459. In 381 at bats, he hit 23 home runs and 17 doubles, with 75 RBI, 27 steals. He also walked 113 times and struck out 174 times. So that is a lot of good, but the strike out number is alarming. Mitchell is now 22 years old, and this was his first full season in High-A. He was 25 of 83 throwing out runners or 30%.
Ramon Ramirez, the other River Bandits catcher, had a good season, despite missing two months due to injury. In 372 plate appearances, he hit .279/.362/.477 with 23 doubles, 13 homers, 10 steals, and 39 walks. He was 18 of 76 throwing out runners or 24%.
Jose Cerice, a 21-year-old corner infielder, slashed .272/.391/.371. He hit 12 doubles, 2 triples and 6 homers. He stole 19 bases and drove in 54 runs, while walking 39 times. Cerice is a lesser heralded guy. The Royals signed him when he was just 18 out of Cuba. This was his first time in Quad Cities, I think this might be a sleeper guy to watch.
Derlin Figueroa smashed 26 homers and drove in 89 runs, while stealing 18 bases. He slashed .252/.324/.515. He was acquired from the Dodgers for Ryan Yarbrough back in 2023. I like his game and think he is someone that has potential to monitor.
Asbel Gonzalez, a 20-year-old centerfielder from Venezuela, put up a special season. The Royals signed him right after his 17th birthday. He slashed .262/.358/.314. With just 14 extra base hits, but with 112 hits the whole season. Gonzalez stole 67 bases on 80 attempts. He also drew 52 walks.
I was encouraged by what Zion Rose did in just 71 at bats, slashing .268/.389/.338. He was also 14 of 15 stealing bases. I think he starts in Quad Cities next season but wouldn’t be surprised if he is quickly moved up.
BLAKE MITCHELL WITH THE SWING OF THE SEASON!! We’ve got the lead!! 🤩
Dash Albus, a 24-year-old lefty from Abilene Christian, who the Royals took in the 19th round of the 2024 draft had a good season between Columbia and Quad Cities. He posted a 3.65 ERA over 56.2 innings and struck out 62. He had just a 1.08 WHIP. He walked just 13 guys all season.
Kendry Chourio, the 19-year-old right-handed prodigy was awesome. I do think at the end of the season, they were limiting his pitch count and innings, but it didn’t slow him down too much. On the season, between Columbia and Quad Cities, Chourio threw 90.2 innings, striking out 91 hitters, to the tune of a 2.48 ERA. His WHIP was 0.89. Opponents hit just .195 off him.
Kamden Edge was great out of the bullpen all season. The 22-year-old right hander posted a 4.02 ERA over 56 innings. He struck out 80 batters and had a WHIP of 0.88. He was 4 of 6 in save opportunities. Opponents hit just .147 off him. His stuff is really good.
L.P. Langevin, a 23-year-old righty, was just as good as Edge out of the pen. Langevin, posted a 3.42 ERA over 55.1 innings. He struck out an unreal 106 hitters. His WHIP was 1.19. He was 3 for 4 in save opportunities. He did walk 39 batters, so that is something to work on. Opponents hit just .142 off him.
David Shields was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Year. The 20-year-old lefty was exceptional. He threw 116.2 innings, striking out 139. His ERA was 4.01, and his WHIP was 1.08. Opponents batted just .231 off him. The former 2024 2nd round pick is progressing very nicely.
Jordan Woods, the 22-year-old lefty was good between Columbia and Quad Cities, going 75.1 innings, with a 3.94 ERA. He struck out 98 batters on the season and his WHIP was 1.23. Opponents hit .232 off Woods. Similar to Rose, I think he starts next season in Quad Cities but could quickly be moved to Northwest Arkansas.
Everyone, with the exception of Rose and Woods, I think will start at Northwest Arkansas next season. That was the Royals worst minor league team, and the roster was mostly atrocious. If the Bandits weren’t making a playoff push, I bet some of these guys would’ve been promoted this season.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 12: Patrick Bailey #16 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after hitting a Home Run during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday! The Cleveland Guardians secured an important series lead last night with clutch, late-game hitting and the Milwaukee Brewers’ bullpen continued to dominate in their win.
ALCS Game 2 begins at 5 PM tonight while the NLCS will travel to Los Angeles.
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 11: Isaiah Drake #4 of the Glendale Desert Dogs bats during the game between the Desert Dogs and the Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Surprise, AZ United States. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Yesterday saw limited action in the Arizona Fall League, as only one of the three games on the schedule got played – and that game was shortened to seven innings. However we did get to watch a pair of Atlanta Braves prospects as Isaiah Drake got the start in left field for the Glendale Desert Dogs, with Owen Carey finishing off the game for him.
This game was actually closer and lower scoring than the final line would indicate. Glendale tied this game up at two in the top of the sixth, before a Scottsdale run in the bottom of the sixth gave them the lead. Scottsdale tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, which ended up being the final action in this game that was called after that point.
Isaiah Drake came up for the first time in the second inning and fouled off the first two pitches, a pair of 97 MPH fastballs, before taking a ball low on the third pitch and striking out swinging on an inside slider on the fourth pitch. He came up in the fourth with a runner on second and two outs, and on the fifth pitch of the at bat he hit a 97 MPH exit velocity ground ball to the third baseman to end the inning.
In the sixth inning Drake was pinch hit for by Owen Carey, who would stay in the game as the left fielder until it ended after seven innings. After taking the first pitch for a ball, Carey took a low sinker and hit a 97 MPH exit velocity ground ball to the first baseman
Australia will continue to adjust its batting order where it deems fit after recording a resounding 214-run triumph over the Proteas in the opening Test of the highly anticipated Test series in South Africa.
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) and pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now that the National League Championship Series is back at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Dodgers will have Blake Snell starting on the mound in Game 3 on Wednesday night, followed by Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Thursday.
“It’s just one of those things that you need Snell to go out there and give us some length, give us a typical Blake Snell outing and let us deploy guys with a lead. I know Blake has a bad taste in his mouth from that last outing against the Braves. So you’re going to see a locked-in, focused Snell,” Roberts said Monday night in Milwaukee. “On the other side of things, we’ve got to support him offensively too.”
Snell in his postseason career had a 3.23 ERA with 107 strikeouts and 41 walks in 86 1/3 innings, and he’s allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of his 16 starts. With the Dodgers, Snell has a 3.11 postseason ERA in seven games, including six starts, with 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 37 2/3 innings.
Glasnow in his seven postseason appearances — four starts, three relief appearances — with the Dodgers has a 1.73 ERA in 26 innings, with 30 strikeouts and 16 walks. The team has won all seven games.
“They know me, and I know them. I enjoy having some familiarity with a lineup,” Gasser told reporters in Milwaukee on Monday. “Definitely looking back to the game in August and kind of watching those swings, obviously hitters adjust, but being a good guy in the dugout, watching them right now and seeing how they’ve changed to now and trying to build a plan for them.”
That leaves Game 4 perhaps at least in some fashion for former Dodgers pitcher Dustin May, who pitched a scoreless inning in relief in Game 2 on Monday. Then again, every Brewers relief appearance thus far in the NLCS has been scoreless.
“He could start Game 4, who knows?” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of May. “But he’s got a role on our team right now of pitching and getting outs, and we’ve told him that, hey, we need you to be ready every day to get outs.”
