ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: The Tampa Bay Rays celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Anthony DiComo discussed what the Mets have learned from Freddy Peralta’s disappointing tenure in New York and his resurgence with the Rays.
Kevin Long will meet with the Mets today about a coaching staff position, according to Mike Puma’s source. Long most recently served as the Phillies’ hitting coach and was the Mets’ hitting coach in 2015 when the team made it to the World Series.
Danny Abriano broke down the options for the Mets at second base.
Jay Horwitz provided a positive update on Ethan Wilson, the Senior Director in the Mets’ media relations department, who underwent surgery a few weeks ago.
Around the National League East
Mark Bowman offered a progress report on Atlanta’s farm system.
Charlotte Varnes and Matt Gelb teamed up to provide some offseason takeaways for the Phillies, touching on the outfield, bullpen, catching, and Philadelphia’s analytics group.
Around Major League Baseball
If I had told you back on Opening Day that Freddy Peralta would take the ball with a chance to send his team to the World Series, you would understandably be very excited. Alas, while Peralta did pick up the win in such a scenario, it was for the Rays, leading them to a 7-3 win over the Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS.
Not only did Peralta pick up the win—his second of the series—he was named ALCS MVP.
Yandy Díaz made good on his prediction that the series would end in six and delivered the knockout blow to lead his team to the World Series.
Junior Caminero savored his first career postseason home run.
The Hanshin Tigers will post Teruaki Sato soon, which will pave the way for him to be signed before the expected lockout on December 1. The Mets are among the teams expected to target the Japanese slugger.
Aaron Boone will return as the Yankees’ manager in 2027, but will do so without an extension as he prepares for the final year of his current c0ntract.
Sonja Chen outlined what the Dodgers could learn from Shohei Ohtani’s injury-plagued 2026 campaign.
Adam McCalvy shared some stories from Brewers fans that even the late, great Bob Uecker would get a kick out of.
The Athletics have hired Taylor Smith as President of Baseball Operations.
The Orioles have hired Jared Banner as their General Manager.
The Cubs have named Steve Miller their Director of International Scouting.
Yankees’ backstop Austin Wells said his season was sidetracked by multiple foul balls to the head.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves looks on from the dugout prior to game three of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 World Series is set, and it looks to be quite intriguing and fun. The Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Rays will face off to determine who will be the 2026 World Series champion. With similar approaches to the success, it will be fun to see the strategy involved in the matchups.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game two of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the baseball world prepares itself for a low-cost World Series, Dodgers fans might still be looking backwards at what might’ve been.
Sonja Chen on MLB.com focuses on how the team managed Shohei Ohtani’s injuries, and what perhaps they might’ve done differently.
“I haven’t been able to really come to grip in terms of what I’ve learned overall this season,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton following the Dodgers’ elimination. “It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program, and see what I can come up with for next season.”
Chen breaks down the entire timeline of Ohtani and his injuries this season, from a knee tweak to being completely shut down from pitching, to starting again, and then a full IL stint. Chen notes that perhaps the Dodgers should’ve done more at the beginning to help their two-way player, and that said two-way player probably should’ve done more to help himself.
“The communication back and forth has been awesome,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said after Ohtani came off the IL. “The fully sharing exactly how he’s feeling, maybe not as awesome.”
Definitely lessons learned as the Dodgers look forward to 2027, where Ohtani has said that he definitely is going to pitch again.
Brian Murphy of MLB.com covered that and other quotes from Ohtani on his plans going forward, including that as of earlier this week, Ohtani did not know if that was going to include offseason surgery.
That is, of course, if there is a next season.
If there is, Tyler Kepner of The Athletic shares his experience with a dynasty after the World Series wins stop, as he covered the New York Yankees during and after their three-peat. No doubt it will be somewhat different for the Dodgers, who seem to be the scapegoat for the impending lockout.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello and happy Tuesday, everybody. Hope you’re hanging in there with no Sox ball to talk about.
We do have World Series ball to talk about, though. Our divisional foes, the Tampa Bay Rays (while donning those lovely Devil Rays unis; I hope they go back to that look full time) clinched the American League pennant last night. With Milwaukee’s pennant sweep completed a few days ago, we’re in line for a Brewers-Rays Fall Classic: a pairing that you’d only see 15 years into your MLB The Show franchise mode simulation.
My open-ended question to you, dear reader, is this: What lessons from Milwaukee and Tampa Bay can the Red Sox take away with them heading into the winter? This could mean anything you’d like it to be, but I’m curious to read your thoughts. I think the Red Sox should consider having a starter who can throw 105 miles per hour or installing an aquarium of their own in the outfield at Fenway, but I’m open to other ideas as well.
The Dallas Mavericks forward and former Duke standout steps into the shoes of a Foot Locker employee as the star of the company's "Hoops Lives Here" campaign. The ad debuts on Tuesday, Oct. 20 ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season tipoff. It shows Flagg wearing New Balance gear and hanging out playing video games in the backroom of a Foot Locker store. He assists an employee in reaching tall shelves, among other comedic moments.
“For me, basketball is everywhere in my life. Whether I’m playing, training, watching games or just spending time with people who love the sport, I’m always connected to it in some way," Flagg said in a statement of how the campaign concept resonates with him, noting, "It celebrates all the different ways basketball is part of our everyday lives and brings together those who share a passion for the game.”
Flagg's ad follows the debut of Foot Locker's "Hoops Lives Here" campaign in May. In the original spot, Payton Pritchard lounges while eating Chinese takeout, Paolo Banchero makes a smoothie, Chet Holmgren gets ready in a mirror and Jewell Loyd prepares to go to sleep all inside a Foot Locker store.
This fall, Foot Locker became the official athletic footwear retailer of the New York Knicks and will help celebrate last year's championship, the team's first title in 53 years. Besides activations and promotions throughout the season, the company will host a one-day Rings ‘N’ Things pop-up with exclusive merchandise to commemorate the NBA Finals victory.
The new "Hoops Lives Here" ad also shows the growth of the popularity of New Balance. Besides Flagg, the athletic company has Shohei Ohtani, Jamal Murray, Coco Gauff and Bukayo Saka on its roster of athletes.
"It took me a while to get used to New Balance because New Balance used to be, you cut grass in New Balance," he said as the crowd erupted in laughter.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 19: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays is named series MVP after Game Six of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 19, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well Cleveland, you gave it your all. The 85-win AL Central champions took two games off of the Rays in the ALCS, which is two more than the Yankees can say they got in the ALDS, but their run ended on Monday night as the top seed in the American League closed things out to set up a match against the top seed in the National League.
American League Championship Series Game 6
Tampa Bay Rays 7, Cleveland Guardians 3 (Rays win series 4-2)
Tampa could smell blood in the water with the Guardians forced to go with a bullpen game this late in the series, and after needing their bullpen to give them an overwhelming majority of the outs in Game 5 Cleveland’s relievers just ran out of gas. Shawn Armstrong was tasked with being the opener and got through the first inning unharmed, but Stephen Vogt knew he needed to stretch every arm as long as he could and thus let Armstrong go out to start the second inning. Junior Caminero greeted him with a single right up the middle and ended his night, Tim Herrin entering in his stead. Herrin got a forceout, but that put the speedy Chandler Simpson on base who promptly stole second, and Victor Mesa Jr. walked to put runners on for Richie Palacios who doubled them both home for an early 2-0 lead.
Herrin’s night was done after that, and Matt Festa allowed the bases to get loaded on a walk and hit by pitch but managed to evade further trouble in the inning by getting Jonathan Aranda to fly out. Joey Cantillo took over for the start of the third and wouldn’t fare as well though, loading the bases with no outs on a single, walk, and bunt single. Mesa then hit into a forceout at the plate, but Jonny DeLuca lifted a sac fly to bring in the third run of the game. Palacios was back up, but he couldn’t add on only grounding out to first to end the inning. It could’ve been a lot worse for Cleveland, but the game was already beginning to slip away with how many runs they were allowing.
On the other side, Freddy Peralta got the ball for Tampa Bay and he continued to put up zeroes like he has all postseason, though Cleveland did threaten. In the third inning Peralta had to strand a pair of runners, and in the fourth Jo Adell led off with a double followed by a walk to put runners on with nobody out. Travis Bazzana went after the first pitch he saw and lined out, and Patrick Bailey hit into a double play to end the threat with nothing to show for it. The fifth was uneventful for both sides, but Chase DeLauter led off the sixth with a double and came around to score on a Nathaniel Lowe single that ended Peralta’s night. Cam Booser entered and quickly put out the fire, but the Guardians were at least showing signs of life.
Unfortunately for them, it came too late. Caminero put his stamp on this game with a two-run home run in the seventh inning, and after Cleveland got those runs back in the top of the eighth via a bases-loaded walk and hit by pitch Yandy Díaz followed up with a two-run blast of his own. Now up 7-3, Bryan Baker was called on to close out the ALCS and sat the Guardians down in order to secure a trip to the World Series. For his efforts in winning Games 2 and 6 (as well as appearing in relief in Game 4), Peralta took home ALCS MVP honors, continuing one of the biggest turnarounds in a season after escaping the disaster that was the Mets. Now he’ll have to take on his former team if he wants to win a ring.
Tampa Bay will now get a few days off before flying out to Milwaukee to meet the Brewers for Game 1 of the World Series on Friday. These two teams were the best in their respective leagues, and they’ll both be aiming for their first championship in franchise history. For Tampa, this is their third shot at it after losing to the Phillies in 2008 and the Dodgers in 2020, while for Milwaukee their only trip to the Fall Classic came in 1982 when they were an American League team, losing in seven games to the Cardinals. The city has seen a World Series championship, but it came when the Braves were located there before they moved out to Atlanta.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 26: Luke Keaschall #15 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates a triple during a game between the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers on September 26, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In 2026, the Minnesota Twins were second in the American League in runs scored.
Take a moment and let that sink in. A team that finished 8 GB of the AL Central crown and couldn’t even compete down the stretch for the 3rd AL Wild Card spot was the second best run-producing squad.
It might be easy to think “hey, the offense isn’t the problem here!” based on that statistic—but to do so would be to rely on the AL to be as historically pedestrian as it was in ‘26. The Cleveland Guardians won the Central with 85 wins, the Houston Astros took the West at even-steven (81-81), while the 80-win Texas Rangers competed for the East and a WC berth until the season’s final weekend.
In short: it is unlikely for the Junior Circuit to be as mediocre in ‘27—evidenced by MN’s more understandable 9th-in-MLB runs scored ranking.
Though not a “problem” in the sense of being a team weakness, I am hopeful that Jeremy Zoll is given the a-okay to address some key aspects of the offense this offseason.
Five slots seem spoken for:
SS: Kaelen Culpepper
3B: Brooks Lee
LF: Emmanuel Rodriguez
CF: Walker Jenkins (unless/until Byron Buxton returns from hip surgery)
DH: Buxton + a rotation of breathers/platoons
The C position will of course be determined by whether or not a qualifying offer is made to incumbent Ryan Jeffers. I hope it happens, and if accepted it buys another year of time for Vahn Lackey to learn the ropes. If not offered or not accepted, it’ll likely be a Victor Caratini & Alex Jackson mix with another small-potatoes signing thrown in for depth/competition sake.
I view 2B & RF as a sort of “either or” scenario. Kody Clemens and Luke Keaschall can mix & match at one of those spots, and I’d like to see a new acquisition at the other. I don’t care which is which. I just don’t want Klobberin’ Kody & Young Master Luke inked in as starters for those two positions.
1B is perhaps the most fascinating position to posit. On one hand, cutting Royce Lewis loose after all his history would seem like a major franchise blow. On the other hand, he’s been a shell of that former self for two seasons now. A big bat at the first sack—plus one who can actually play the position—would slot into this roster perfectly to replace the almost-certainly-departing Josh Bell.
The bottom line is this: the Minnesota Twins have the makings of a strong offense, with young talent at multiple key positions. But instead of hoping for the American League to be as laconic as last season, ownership needs to keep pushing for improvement in order to retain a top-5 league finish in ‘27.
HARRISBURG, PA - AUGUST 27: Anthony Eyanson #18 of the Chesapeake Baysox pitches during the game between the Chesapeake Baysox and the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field on Thursday, August 27, 2026 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Casey Saussaman/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Now arguably the Orioles No.1 prospect, Anthony Eyanson wasn’t even in the Orioles organization when the 2026 season began. In fact, outside of Ben McDonald, I doubt hardly anyone in Birdland knew who Eyanson was seven months ago. However, there is no doubt that the former LSU Tiger is primed for big things after delivering a ‘26 as good as any minor league pitcher.
How Eyanson came to the Orioles organization was, and still is, a sore point for those throughout Birdland. The 22-year-old right-hander spent 2025 as the No. 2 starter on the LSU team that won their second national championship in three years, sitting just behind future No.3 overall pick Kade Anderson. Eyanson was drafted by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft and spent the early part of 2026 rocketing up Boston’s prospect rankings.
Then, on August 3rd, the Orioles did the seemingly unthinkable; Mike Elias & Co. traded franchise cornerstone Adley Rutschman to the division rival Red Sox with Eyanson (then Boston’s No. 2 prospect) as the headliner of Baltimore’s return.
Split between Boston’s High-A Greenville affiliate and Double-A Portland, Eyanson had amassed a first half almost too good to belief: a 1.32 ERA and .152 BAA while punching out 94 batters across 68.1 innings. The Orioles hadn’t had a truly elite pitching prospect since Grayson Rodriguez back in 2023. That changed with the arrival of the righty from Southern California.
The 6’2” flame-thrower was just as dominant after getting into the Orioles system. In six starts for the Baysox, Eyanson pitched to a 2.03 ERA, .221 BAA and struck out another 47 hitters over 31 innings. His best outing for Chesapeake came agains the playoff-bound Richmond Flying Squirrels, with Eyanson completing seven innings for the first time as a professional and finishing with a final line of 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB and 8 Ks.
His debut professional season brought a fair share of recognition for the Orioles’ new top pitching prospect. Eyanson was named Portland Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year and was a the finalists (along with winner Anderson and Orioles’ prospect Joseph Dzierwa) for Minor League Pitcher of the Year. After finishing the year with a 1.54 ERA and 141 Ks over 99.1 IP, such superlatives were more than deserved.
Anthony Eyanson was one of the best pitchers in the minor leagues in 2026.
2026 (A+/AA) 99.1 IP 1.54 ERA 0.96 WHIP 9.2% BB 37.1% K .175 BAA 18.7% SwStr (#1 in MiLB, min 80 IP)
The only reason to temper expectations at all with Eyanson is the relatively few innings pitcher in the minors. Fellow Pitcher of the Year finalists. One minor league season, no matter how amazing it was, does not usually provide enough reps to prove your ready to take a major league mound.
And yet, the right-hander may not have to wait long for a call up to Baltimore. Fellow LSU alum Paul Skenes only pitched 34 minor league innings before making his way to Pittsburgh, with an ERA (1.85) and K/9 (14.6) that were pretty similar to Eyanson’s 2026 numbers (1.54 and 12.8). Anderson only needed 93.1 innings, all in Double-A, before getting the call to Seattle two months ago. However, presumptive Cy Young winners Jacob Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler both logged over 200 minor innings before debuting at 23 and 24 respectively.
What give Eyanson a chance to be really special at the big league level is a true four pitch repetoire. Like Kyle Bradish, he has a plus-plus slider that he can throw in an count to both lefties and righties. He backs that up with slower curveball that features sharper downward break. His fasbtall sits around 95 while touching triple digits and is often used to change eye levels at the top of the zone. He completes that devestating arsenal with a splitter he’s still refining, but has potential to be another above avearage pitch. At his best, he looks like a combination of Bradish and Félix Bautista in how he attacks hitters.
Whether or not there’s major league baseball in 2027 will likely shape where Eyanson begins his next campaign. With only Bradish, Shane Baz and Brandon Young locked in for next season, pitchers like Cade Povich and Trey Gibson could see a permanent promotion to the major like rotation. That would leave space at Triple-A for someone like Eyanson, though he’d be competing with Dzierwa and Orioles’ No. 4 prospect Caden Hunter for a promotion to Norfolk.
For years the Orioles have searched for outside reinforcements to bolster a rotation that’s often felt like the anchor holding Baltimore back from true contention. Now, if the O’s can bring back ace Trevor Rogers, the rotation is one of the few reliable aspects of this Orioles team. That means, for a prospect to really establish himself in Baltimore, he’ll need to be a type of special of young pitcher not often seen in the Orioles sysem.
Eyanson is that rare kind of special in that he has high expectations and seemingly has the goods to meet them. Most of Batlimore’s recent pitching success stories have come less heralded prospects. Bradish was the Orioles’ No. 10 prospect and no where near the MLB Top 100 before his debut in 2022. Young was Baltimore’s No. 19 prospect before his debut in 2025 and breakout last season.
The Orioles’ new No.1 pitching prospect has a chance to succeed where injuries ultimately caused Rodriguez to failed. Eyanson wasn’t an ace in college, but has proved to have ace-level upside based on his first professional season. The pending lockout means the right-hander is likely to spend his 2027 season further developing in Double and Triple-A. Come 2028, he should be ready to be unleashed on the big elagues and potentially give the Orioles their next Mike Mussina-level talent.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Tampa Bay Rays players and staff members pose for a photo after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The World Series is set.
Last night after the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians, 7-3, they punched their ticket to meet the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series. It should be a good contest of teams that are built on exceptional execution, small ball, and big analytics staffs.
This was a post making the rounds on social media yesterday.
If nothing else, it’s a sign of improvement that the Colorado Rockies, while still understaffed, are no longer worst in MLB — that honor goes to the Athletics and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
President of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said in his remarks earlier this month that they intended to keep growing their staff in the offseason, so that will be a story to watch going forward.
The data suggests that spending on analytics pays. Now to see what the Rockies do next.
In the meantime, here is the news from 20th and Blake as well as the rest of the league.
Jake Smith looks at catcher Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) and his baseball life given that he spent his formative years around the Rockies. His two favorite players? Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton.
Should the St. Louis Cardinals make a change in center field, and if so, who would be some good candidates? Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy makes Jake Woods’ list. “Perhaps on days the offense struggles to get going, as it did at times in ‘26, a spark plug like McCarthy to wake the guys up a little might be something worth investing a couple of resources in,” Woods writes.
“It’s fair to say the trade has not been a good one for the Yankees,” write Ben Stinar, contrasting the first baseman’s season with that of relief pitcher Angel Chivilli
As Troy Crumpton puts it, “For Cubs fans who remember Bryant as a cornerstone of Chicago’s historic 2016 championship team, his injury-plagued tenure with the Rockies has been an unfortunate turn for the former MVP.”
I’ve come to think of “Mile High Territory” as the best weekly baseball analysis Rockies fans will see during the offseason. This one is worth listening to for Ryan Spilborghs comments on why the Rockies may have decided to end their relationship with pitching coach Alon Leichman — and the possibility of revisiting pitch calling with a new (and interesting) twist.
Look for my Rockpile on TJ Rumfield’s Gold Glove chances later this morning.
This is big news. Teruaki Sato is a “superstar infielder.” The 28-year-old won the Central League Triple Crown in 2006. (A .306 batting average, 39 homers, and 106 RBIs will do that.) Tomoyuki Sugano, if you could put in a good word for your former team, we’d appreciate it!
The Athletics have hired their new PBO, Taylor Smith. What do we know so far? Smith is young but also has a background with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox. Watch our sister site for new developments.
It’s hiring season, and the Baltimores went with Jared Banner, who brings with him experience with the Chicago Cubs in addition to the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox. “However, in hiring Banner, the O’s have brought in someone from outside the organization who is supposed to have a lot of influence in player development, an area where Elias has obliquely acknowledged that he’s been lacking in recent seasons,” writes Mark Brown.
If the Rockies sign any free-agent pitchers, Colorado native Kevin Gausman is probably at the top of their list. Our Blue Jays sister site reviews his 2026 season.
This week on the internet
Since we’re off to Milwaukee for the first game of the World Series, this seemed timely.
Reader, I watched in fascination wondering how all the pieces would fit.
But they did — clearly, this is not The Sausages’ first rodeo.
Outro
I almost went with the Loverboy song, but let’s kick off this on with some Mötley Crüe:
Monday night withstanding, as Cleveland threw a hodge-podge of relievers at the Devil Rays, just think if the Cleveland pitching and Cubs defense got together. Messy defense at key times, Cleveland. Good try, though. I’ll cheer for you if I can again next year.
I’ll just sit back and watch a relaxing World Series*.
*(Subject to sudden changes. This page is not responsible for erratic WS thoughts)
I appreciate your reading.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Japanese Slugger Teruaki Sato is Officially Being Posted. “In a market thin in impact bats – ironically, Seiya Suzuki is probably right there at the top in this very same class – Teruaki Sato will find plenty of bidders out there.”
Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Did Ryan Rolison Do Enough for a Higher-Leverage Look in 2027? “As injuries mounted in the Cubs’ 2026 bullpen, Ryan Rolison took on an increased role. Did he do enough to not only make it permanent, but become even more important in 2027?”
Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Why Josiah Hartshorn is Now Cubs’ Top Prospect, and What He Still Needs to Work On. “Josiah Hartshorn’s first full season in professional baseball deserves another look. After a dominant 2026 season, he’s gone from a mid-round draft pick to the organization’s top prospect, with an exciting future ahead.”
Robert Petway (born c. 1903, date of death unknown) was an American blues singer and guitarist. He recorded only 16 songs, but it has been said that he was an influence on many notable blues and rock musicians, including John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix. There is only one known picture of Petway, a publicity photo from 1941. Like many bluesmen from the Mississippi Delta, Petway traveled as a musician, playing at parties, roadhouses, and other venues. Petway and Tommy McClennan often travelled and performed together. After McClennan had been in Chicago for a few years, Petway travelled north to join him and cut records, as did Georgia’s Frank Edwards, who had met them in Mississippi.
Petway recorded the song “Catfish Blues” in 1941. Among many other musicians who played variations of the song, Muddy Waters used the arrangement and lyrics of “Catfish Blues” for his song “Rollin’ Stone” (the song from which the Rolling Stones took their name). The composition credit given to Petway is based entirely on the recording date of his version of the song, but it cannot establish that his version was the original and the source of later versions. There is no record, official or unofficial, of Petway’s death. The last record of his public life is a quote from Honeyboy Edwards: “nobody I know heard what become of him.” In his autobiography, Edwards stated that he had heard that Petway may have moved to Chicago, where Edwards himself lived, but that he never met him there.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
The 2026-27 NBA season is ready to destroy everything you think you know about basketball. It’s so hard to make preseason predictions in this era of the league when parity is at an all-time high and the pace-and-space nature of play puts every athlete in danger of injury. It sure feels like the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks are the top-3 teams coming into the season, but the NBA has taught us to expect the unexpected for this generation of hoops.
With the new season finally here, I thought it would be fun to say one nice thing about every team. Let’s get into it.
Atlanta Hawks
Kingston Flemings will go down as a draft steal: The Hawks were wise to bring back CJ McCollum on a one-year deal while getting an awesome young understudy to one day take over for him in Flemings. I like Flemings for his ability to maximize assist-to-turnover ratio and play bigger than his size defensively. His three-ball might need some time to develop, but the Hawks made a smart pick at No. 8 overall.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics have the best front office in the NBA: Trust Brad Stevens, Mike Zarren, and Dave Lewin. It’s better to make a big move a year too early than a year too late, and Boston’s leadership continues to be on the cutting edge of team-building. They will be right in their evaluations more times than not.
Brooklyn Nets
Jordi Fernandez is an elite head coach who will get this team to overachieve: Everyone expects the Nets to be doormats this season, but it’s not going to happen if they hang on to Michael Porter Jr. all season. Fernandez has more talent to work with this year with Julius Randle and Mikel Brown Jr. arriving, Day’Ron Sharpe joining the starting lineup, and Egor Demin ready to make a year two leap. Brooklyn will be feisty.
Charlotte Hornets
Charles Lee’s system is built to win regular season games: The Hornets just know how to win the margins under Charles Lee, which is no surprise given that he came from Boston’s staff. Charlotte is going to crush the offensive glass, jack tons of threes, and get their hands in the passing lanes to their best of their abilities. I think they will miss LaMelo Ball, but this team is too well coached to completely fall apart.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have a sneaky-good bench: Chicago’s bench is going to keep them in games. Leonard Miller is fully on breakout watch after an excellent preseason, Tre Jones is almost as good as Josh Giddey at backup point guard, Isaac Okoro is the team’s best perimeter defender, and Jalen Smith is a legit stretch five with monstrous per-minute production if he returns to a bench role after Nic Claxton gets healthy. That’s not even mentioning Buddy Hield or a pair of recent mid-first round picks in Noa Essengue and Dailyn Swain.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Evan Mobley can still take another step forward: Don’t write off Mobley from taking another jump just because he’s 25 now. He still has some low-hanging fruit to clean up in his game, and he certainly has the natural talent to improve as a driver, outside shooter, offensive rebounder, and defensive playmaker in terms of steals and deflections. The best is still yet to come.
Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving are going to be awesome together: Flagg is ridiculously good for a 19-year-old, and Kyrie Irving’s creation ability and pull-up shooting is going to make his life so much easier this year. I want to see Flagg get back to being the highly impactful defender he was supposed to be coming out.
Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon just win basketball games together: Gordon is quietly one of the most important injury risks in the league. If he stays healthy, the Nuggets are going to be very, very good.
Detroit Pistons
Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are still getting better: Both of Cade Cunningham’s co-stars are already really good, and I think they will look even better a year from now. Duren can improve his defense, while Thompson’s offensive impact can keep getting greater even without three-point shooting improvement. Detroit’s young core is in great hands.
The Rockets still have so many breakout guys: I would pick Amen Thompson to level up this year, but it could also be Reed Sheppard or Alperen Sengun or Jabari Smith Jr. or Tari Eason. If several of these guys take a leap, Houston will be a Western Conference contender.
Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac will make magic together: The Pacers are losing some spacing with Zubac replacing Myles Turner from the 2025 NBA Finals team, but Haliburton will figure it out. Zubac’s superior physicality will make a big difference for a Pacers team that could use it.
Los Angeles Clippers
Ty Lue will put Keaton Wagler in position to succeed: Lue is still an elite coach, and he’ll find the right ways to develop the No. 5 overall pick even in tough circumstances.
Los Angeles Lakers
Luka Doncic + JJ Redick = lots of wins: The Lakers have won 50+ games in both seasons with JJ Redick as head coach, and I expect that to continue this year. Redick will make the most out of the defense, and Luka will handle the creation burden as only he can. The Lakers should have homecourt advantage to start the West playoffs.
Memphis Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey will be a phenomenal pairing: Boozer’s shooting, passing, and driving paired with Edey Hulk Smash’ing everything at the rim make the Grizzlies the easiest pick to exceed their preseason win total.
Miami Heat
I’m already terrified I was way too low on Miami: The Heat are the team I’m most worried I’m wrong about after having them No. 9 in my East predictions. Giannis should be on a mission, Erik Spoelstra is still the best coach in the league for my money, and you know some player (Pelle Larsson?) is going to have a career year. Miami will be a problem come playoff time.
Milwaukee Bucks
Ryan Rollins might be the most underrated guard in the league: He’s not a household name yet, but he will be soon.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves have the juice to upset the Thunder or Spurs in the playoffs: LaMelo and Ant’s pull-up shooting is a problem without a solution for opposing defenses … as long as they can get hot in a short series.
New Orleans Pelicans
Jeremiah Fears will create some of the NBA’s best highlights: Elite speed + elite ball handling ability is a rare combination. If Fears can improve his shot at all, he’s going to be a really great offensive guard.
New York Knicks
Their playoff run last season was no fluke: This team is loaded again even without Mitchell Robinson, and it’s going to count as an upset if any other team comes out of the East.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder’s rookies add new flair to the rotation: How did the league let Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz both fall to OKC? Sam Presti can’t keep getting away with it.
Orlando Magic
The Magic will the surprise team in the East: They have to get positive injury luck eventually, right? If it happens, new head coach Sean Sweeney can push the right buttons to get this team to the top half of the East playoff picture.
Philadelphia 76ers
The offense is going to be absolutely electric: I don’t give out gambling advice, but if I did, I would bet the over on every Sixers game to start the season. They are going to be capable of some ridiculous runs when everyone is locked in.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns will be a huge pain in the ass to deal with every night: Phoenix crushes the offensive glass and maximizes every ounce of its defensive potential. I’ll just say I like them more with Collin Gillespie in the starting lineup than Jalen Green.
Portland Trail Blazers
Scoot Henderson is finally going to breakout: It’s painfully obvious that the Blazers should bring either Damian Lillard or Ja Morant off the bench to start Scoot. I hope it happens.
Sacramento Kings
They will be better than expected because they can’t possibly be as injured as last year: There are some good players on this team, and I don’t believe they’re destined to be the worst in the league like everyone thinks.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are winning the championship this year: This team is too big, too fast, too strong, and too good.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors have another Cinderella run to the NBA Finals in them: If Kawhi Leonard can last through the playoffs, I see Toronto as the Knicks’ biggest challenger in the East, and they could be uniquely positioned to slow down New York’s powerful offense.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz will have a top-10 offense: Utah was No. 22 in offense last year. That’s going to change with Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. all getting buckets.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards have the most breakout player candidates in the league: Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, Alex Sarr … that’s just the start of it. If Washington’s two veteran stars can hold up their end of the bargain, the rebuild will finally be over.
He will take on a bigger role after LeBron James, the most recent star to bring a championship to the franchise and the longtime face of the NBA, left for the Philadelphia 76ers.
"It feels great," Dončić said about his role for the upcoming season. "Obviously it’s a new challenge. I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me. But I feel great. I feel excited. I’m ready to go. It’s been a long time since I played basketball, so I’m ready."
Dončić closed out the 2025-26 season as the scoring champion after averaging 33.5 points per game. It was his second career scoring title. Dončić stacked his resume as a six-time All-NBA Player, six-time All-Star and the 2018-2019 Rookie of the Year.
Dončić's accomplishments and achievements are why he was ranked No. 4 on USA Today's top 100 player rankings ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The guard still has a lot to play for and has the opportunity to become the face of the NBA.
How can Luka Dončić become the face of the NBA?
Dončić still has several attainable milestones to achieve during his career.
The most notable is winning an NBA championship.
Dončić has proven he has what it takes to be a franchise star that leads a team to the NBA Finals. He took the Dallas Mavericks to the title series to end the 2023-24 season. The Boston Celtics went on to beat the Mavericks 4-1.
He could also win his first regular-season MVP award.
Dončić's highest career finish in MVP voting came at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.
He nearly averaged a triple-double but finished third behind Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Dončić averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game. He was traded to Los Angeles the following season. He finished fourth in the voting last season behind Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Victor Wembanyama.
With Dončić serving as the focal point of the Lakers' roster for the upcoming season, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and the front office used the offseason to build around him.
The Philadelphia 76ers' game at the New York Knicks, one of three games opening the NBA season on Oct. 20, is the league's most expensive regular-season ticket for 2026-27, with a get-in price of $1,474.
Based on ticketing data for 1,194 regular season and NBA Cup games USA TODAY obtained from TicketData on Oct. 19, the premium for that game is far from shocking.
As the defending champions, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks are the priciest home team in the league, with a median get-in price of $226 at Madison Square Garden. That’s double the next highest median, held by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, LeBron James and the 76ers command the biggest road premium. Games featuring the 76ers carry a median ticket-price premium of 242% compared to the typical price for the rest of a team’s home slate.
As such, when you put the Knicks and the 76ers together, it produces a pricey match-up (plus, New York will be raising its first NBA championship banner in more than 50 years).
On the opposite side, the cheapest median ticket falls to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Charlotte Hornets with their $19.50 get-in prices. The get-in price in New York is more than 11 times as expensive.
Also around $20 are the New Orleans Pelicans ($21 get-in price) and the Utah Jazz ($21.50).
The NBA’s hottest traveling tickets
On the road, James and the 76ers are priced well above most host teams’ other games. Philadelphia’s road games cost a median premium of 242% compared to the typical get-in price for other games at that arena.
In fact, the 76ers are the most expensive (or tied for the most expensive) visiting ticket in 25 out of the 29 NBA arenas they'll visit. The matchups that beat Philadelphia are New York at Brooklyn ($192 get-in price), Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago ($159), Miami at Milwaukee ($110), and Boston at Minnesota ($302).
The Spurs, who lost to the Knicks in last season's NBA Finals, are the 76ers' priciest visiting opponent, with a $223 get-in price for their March 21 game. That's just $1 more than the $222 get-in price for New York's Feb. 11 visit to Philadelphia.
San Antonio itself has a tie between the 76ers and the Knicks — both teams' games in San Antonio have a get-in price of $181.
Philadelphia’s premium is far and away the biggest across the league.
The next trio are all quite close together, though — road games with the Warriors and Spurs are 93% higher than the typical ticket at a given arena, while the Knicks provide a 91% bump.
On the flip side are the Brooklyn Nets. Games involving the Nets are 25% cheaper than other games at their road arenas. That discount beats the Sacramento Kings (a 24% drop) and the Atlanta Hawks (a 20% savings).
Most expensive NBA tickets for 2026-27
Here’s a look at the top 10 most expensive regular season games for the upcoming season, based on the get-in price as of Oct. 19 on TicketData. Nine out of the 10 are at Madison Square Garden, while three of the top five involve the 76ers:
76ers at Knicks: Oct. 20 — $1,474
Spurs at Knicks: Dec. 25 — $487
Celtics at Knicks: March 14 — $398
76ers at Knicks: Feb. 27 — $394
76ers at Raptors: Jan. 10 — $378
Heat at Knicks: Nov. 27 — $370
Lakers at Knicks: Jan. 30 — $362
Warriors at Knicks: Feb. 13 — $352
Nets at Knicks: Dec. 27 — $350
Celtics at Knicks: April 4 — $338
Methodology: USA TODAY analyzed advertised get-in ticket prices for the 2026–27 NBA season from TicketData, collected Oct. 19. Home prices reflect each team's median get-in price, while road premiums measure the median percentage difference between a visiting team's ticket prices and other games at the same arenas. Conditional NBA Cup games were excluded.
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have snapped their three-game losing streak on Monday with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Arena. It was a tight contest throughout the night, but Gavin McKenna scoring Toronto's second goal of the game was the breakthrough for the home team and led to the two points in the Leafs' favor.
"Yeah, that's a huge night for the group," McKenna said after the game. "I thought San Jose played a good game, but I thought we played a full sixty minutes, which you know, something we wanted to do all season. And I thought guys were working from the first line to the fourth line, so it was a huge night."
McKenna's power-play tally early in the third period turned out to be the game-winning goal, and the rookie's third of the season.
"I think that whole shift, puck was kind of bouncing around a little bit, and then a lot of battle wins from the guys," McKenna said of his goal. "Saw Auston (Matthews) won that puck battle, and then had a little bit of time and space in front, and then yeah, shot low glove, and lucky went in."
Though he believes his goal was lucky, what can't be argued is that it came at a significant moment in the hockey game for the Maple Leafs. Given their losing streak and the strength of the Atlantic Division, they couldn't afford to fall behind in the standings early, and McKenna's goal did just that.
"Even his first goal, talked about Gavin a lot, but he's just not afraid of the moment," Toronto's head coach Jim Hiller said post-game. "He enjoys the moment. You know, you saw his celebration, and you could say, 'yeah, well, shouldn't everybody do that?' There's lots there, and you have to want to be that big-time player, and that's what he has in spades."
"He's not shy at the moment at all," Matthews echoed, who had a goal and three points on the night himself. "I think, you give him a little bit of time and space like he had there, he's going to make something happen, and he did. So he's been fine his last couple games, and even what happened a couple nights ago, that stuff doesn't shake him. He keeps churning away, and it's impressive."
McKenna was asked about his ability to come through in big moments and delicate situations.
"I think it's just a confidence thing," the 18-year-old said. "For me, you want to be a guy who's known for those big moments, and when you get that time and an opportunity to be out there on the ice, you want to make the most out of it. So, I think you're playing with guys like Auston, (William Nylander) and those guys. I think it just brings confidence in itself. So, for me, that's something I've taken a lot of passion in, trying to be known as a guy who's able to perform in those situations."
The Maple Leafs' rookie now has three goals and six points in 10 games this season. Among rookies, that makes him tied for second in scoring, with only Trevor Connelly of the Vegas Golden Knights ahead with seven points.
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UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 15: Ryan Birchard #33 of the Scottsdale Scorpions pitches during the game between the Scorpions and the Javelinas at Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, October 15, 2026 in Peoria, AZ United States. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Now that we’re a couple of weeks into this year’s Arizona Fall League, let’s check in on the nine Brewers prospects playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions. As always with the AFL, these are small samples, so take the numbers with a grain of salt.
Hitters:
Braylon Payne: 6-for-27, 2 3B, 10 K
Payne is still hitting for power, with two triples in under 30 at-bats, but he hasn’t homered yet and has struck out 10 times. It’s not an auspicious start for the former first-rounder, but it isn’t necessarily concerning either, especially after the season he just had. There’s a lot more baseball to be played this fall.
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) October 6, 2026
Eric Bitonti: 5-for-30, 2B, HR, 5 BB, 13 K
Bitonti has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game, and that’s shown up so far in the AFL. But a higher walk rate was one of the drivers of his breakout season, so five walks in 35 plate appearances is a good sign.
Bitonti stings his first Fall homer 110.3 MPH 🦂
The Brewers No. 26 prospect pulls the Scorpions ahead with his first blast of the season! pic.twitter.com/9pVXui25Bu
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) October 4, 2026
Jett Williams: 3-for-27, 6 BB, 10 K
To put it plainly, Williams has struggled. He’s drawn six walks, but he’s struck out as many times as Payne. It’s worth remembering that right wrist injuries cost him almost the entire second half of the season, so he’s still getting his feet under him.
Matthew Wood: 4-for-11, 10 BB
Wood has been getting on base like it’s nobody’s business, reaching in 14 of his 21 plate appearances for a ridiculous .667 OBP. With Jeferson Quero’s future somewhat uncertain, Milwaukee doesn’t have much catching depth in the organization, so it’s great to see Wood, who had an .890 OPS and 18 home runs at Double-A Biloxi this year, keep producing at the plate.
Matthew Wood was the only Brewers prospect in 2026 to hit at least 15 HR while keeping his K% under 15%. It was a career year for the Penn State product, recording a 134 wRC+ in a full season in Double-A.
Quezada pitched at all four full-season levels this year, finishing with 77 strikeouts in 61 innings. The strikeouts have followed him to Arizona, where he’s fanned five in three innings, though he’s also allowed four hits and two runs.
Miqueas Mercedes: 6 2/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 8 BB, 6 K
Mercedes (2.61 ERA in 79 1/3 innings between Single-A and High-A this year) has the stuff to be a major league pitcher someday, but not yet the command. Walks were an issue during the season, and eight in 6 2/3 innings is far from ideal, as are the four earned runs. He’s still striking out nearly a batter an inning.
Jose Meneses: 2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Meneses, a lefty reliever who posted a 2.21 ERA this season between Single-A and High-A, hasn’t allowed a hit. He has been a bit wild over his first three appearances, though.
Ryan Birchard: 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Birchard has had two hitless, scoreless outings, including a three-strikeout inning last week, but gave up three runs in his third. His seven strikeouts and four walks in under four innings are about what you’d expect after this season, when he struck out 35% of the batters he faced but also walked nearly a quarter of them.
Ryan Birchard (@TrentonThunder '23) locked it down for the Scottsdale Scorpions on Thursday night, striking out the side in order for the save. ⚡ 🔒
Peyton Niksch: 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 8 K
Niksch has kept pretty much everything in check except the long ball. Both runs he’s allowed came on solo home runs, and he’s given up just one other hit while walking only one batter.
Peyton Niksch was promoted to High-A Wisconsin after a dominant stretch for the @wilsonwarbirds 🔥
Niksch allowed 0 earned runs in 4 of his last 5 games and struck out 14 batters while only allowing 1 XBH in the 11.2 innings pitched ‼️#ThisIsMyCrewpic.twitter.com/c3NG74Dn0I
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 19, 2026
