MONTREAL, CANADA- OCTOBER 31: Josh Anderson #17 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates after a goal during the second period of the NHL regular season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre on October 31, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Matt Garies/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Dan Muse had a couple of quotes after Pittsburgh’s loss last night to Montreal that had more defensive lapses and errors that could pretty well describe the Penguins’ month of October.
“Hockey is a game of mistakes, so mistakes are going to happen. But in terms of them being able to get two quick ones, or even sometimes just shifts with multiple chances back-to-back, we need to be better at just kind of controlling that,” Muse said.
“Guys are getting clean looks there at the net, and second opportunities around the net. Those things are preventable,” Muse said. “So again, breakdowns, mistakes are going to happen, breakdowns are going to happen. It’s just happening too much. Got to correct it.”
Whether or not the Penguins have the talent and ability to correct those issues for a prolonged period is becoming more unlikely. They’ve righted the ship for small periods of time – like a recent three-game stretch from Oct 22-29 where they only surrendered six total goals. On either sides of that stretch, however, they’ve regularly been giving up 4-5 goals per game and that’s just no way to live in the NHL.
As such, it’s starting to get late early for the Pens. As of last night they were 14th out of 16 teams in the Eastern Conference – and the bad news is a team with a .607 points% (Buffalo, with 17 points in 14 games) is sitting below the playoff line currently. Pittsburgh only has 12 points in 14 games.
Let’s take a look at the division and see how things went in the past week for the teams in the Metropolitan Division.
Carolina (2-0-0): This doesn’t even count the 7-0 whopping the Hurricanes put on Winnipeg today. Safe to say as now winners of 12 of their first 16 games this season – and more importantly only two regulation losses – there is no Stanley Cup hangover to be found.
New Jersey (2-1-1): Connor Hellebuyck won both of his appearances with New Jersey, giving up only three goals along the way. Goaltending has been a major factor holding this team back over the last handful of years and that issue appears to have been resolved.
Washington (2-0-0): Good week for the Caps, who pulled off a changing of the guard. They have an Alex with 10 goals in 12 games, but now that is Alex Tuch. Ovechkin only has one goal in his first 12 games and has receded in his final season as a bit player as others have been brought into do the heavy lifting.
NY Islanders (2-2-0): A bit of smoke and mirrors for the Isles – they lost their two games by a combined 10-3 score on the week and managed to pull off OT and SO wins in the close games. Quite to their character of hanging around, they’re finding ways to get some results- aided in no small part by the cheat code that is Matthew Schaefer playing a full five minutes of OT in one game, then scoring the GWG in the other.
NY Rangers (0-1-0): It was a good time for the Rangers to only play one game in a week, where they gave up six goals and lost. NYR has given up 5+ goals in four of their last six games as they navigate life without their franchise goalie, this week will test them with four games (and Connor McDavid surely licking his chops to get after them today).
Pittsburgh (0-1-1): Nothing is coming easy for the Pens right now. Both games played were fairly frenetic and in a see-saw fashion with plenty of chances at both ends of the ice. But they’re not outscoring their problems that much so far this year, in part because as Muse mentioned above – they have way too many issues.
Columbus (1-2-0): The Blue Jackets found a way to beat Philadelphia in OT early in the week, then lost a one-goal game to Carolina and lost by two to Dallas after a late ENG. Goal scoring later on against those tough teams was a problem, only three combined goals in two games isn’t going to parlay well into earning positive results.
Philadelphia (0-1-1): If misery loves company, the commonwealth of PA is in the same boat hockey-wise on the Eastern and Western side. The Flyers won all three of their games on the season so far a little streak from Oct 17-21, then have lost their next three.
Perhaps this was because Lendeborg used up all of his good hooping against his girlfriend before the game.
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors looks on during an Emirates NBA Cup game against the Los Angeles Lakers in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
On Thursday, Dub5 Apparel, a clothing brand that Lendeborg and his girlfriend, Tacarra, are heavily affiliated with, posted an Instagram video of them seemingly playing a game of 1-on-1.
But it wasn’t much of a contest, which the 6-foot-9 forward quickly proved when he posterized his girlfriend then had several words to say to her about it afterward.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg dunking on his girlfriend. (Instagram/@dubfivee).
The two were obviously joking around, and the apparel brand has posted several clips of them hooping together while wearing Dub5 clothes.
This dunk was definitely the most merciless moment of all from the rookie.
The Warriors did not need a good game from Lendeborg to beat the Lakers 112-95 on Friday night.
But they’re going to need the rookie if they’re going to make any noise in the Western Conference this season, as he has already proved to be one of most valuable members of their roster through the season’s first six games.
Yaxel Lendeborg’s girlfriend, Tacarra, posing for a photo next to a pool. (Instagram/@tacarra.shyann).
Because of his success, Yaxel and Tacarra can expect to stay in Golden State for quite a long time.
The Buffalo Sabres return home to start a four-game homestand against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, and they made a roster move to send a former Sens blueliner back to their AHL affiliate. Defenseman Dennis Gilbert was called up after veteran Matt Grzelcyk went on injured reserve, but with the Sabres returning home, they demoted the veteran to the Rochester Americans on Sunday.
The Buffalo native posted two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in five games since being recalled earlier this month, and played in the 7-6 win over Anaheim on Thursday. Both Grzelcyk and Conor Timmins have been out with lower body injuries, so it is possible that one or both are close to returning to the lineup.
Owen Power leads the Sabres in defensive scoring with 11 points
In former Sabres news, Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov was fined $5,000 for a sucker punch of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic on Saturday. Zadorov was assessed a pair of minor penalties for roughing as well as a 10-minute misconduct. The former Buffalo first rounder leads the NHL with 47 penalty minutes this season. Another former Sabre, Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist in the Ottawa Senators 5-1 win in San Jose over the Sharks on Saturday.
In AHL news, the Rochester Americans beat Lehigh Valley 6-3 at Blue Cross Arena on Friday. Jake Richard scored his third of the season, and Matthew Peca had a goal and two assists for the Amerks, who are 5-4-1 this season, and on fifth place in the North Division.
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 4: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers during the 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 4, 2026 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jay Metzger/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night. The game will be played at 5:30 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
After opening the season with three consecutive losses, the Warriors have turned things around with three straight wins, most recently defeating the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, 112-95.
Golden State found themselves in an early hole trailing by 23 points after the first quarter. However, a furious comeback led by superstar Steph Curry completely shifted the momentum, as the Warriors outscored Los Angeles 97-57 over the final three quarters to secure the victory. Curry led the team with 31 points while providing the home crowd with multiple highlights along the way, including this ankle-breaking move against Lakers star Luka Dončić.
The Warriors will have to keep their winning streak alive without two of their biggest stars on Sunday. Curry and Draymond Green have both been ruled out against the Clippers, with Golden State opting to rest their veteran duo on the first night of a back-to-back.
Steph Curry and Draymond Green will both rest tomorrow night on the front side of a back-to-back against the Clippers. Injury management. That should clear them to face the Suns on Monday night.
Al Horford will play vs Clippers, meaning he would rest vs Suns.
Look for rookie Yaxel Lendeborg to have a bounce back game tonight. Lendeborg struggled to find his rhythm against the Lakers, finishing with a season-low six points Friday night. The rookie was critical of his performance afterward, acknowledging that he needed to be better.
Yaxel Lendeborg’s lesson from his sixth NBA game: “Try not to wet the bed as bad as I did.”
“I’m a big dweller on bad games.”
“Them boys had my back today. Steph Curry did his thing.”
Now, with two of Golden State’s stars unavailable, Lendeborg will have a chance to respond. The Warriors have already seen flashes of his versatility and offensive potential early this season, but Sunday’s matchup could provide an interesting opportunity to see how he responds to a poor performance.
Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!
Projected Starters
Warriors: De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos, Graham Ike
Clippers: Darius Garland, Kris Dunn, Rui Hachimura, Derrick Jones Jr., Isaiah Jackson
How to watch Regular Season Game 7
Who: Golden State Warriors (3 – 3) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (1 – 4)
Oct 25, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) checks the scoreboard during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Halloween might be over, but that doesn’t rid the scare from Nets fans.
Brooklyn dropped to 0-5 on Friday night after letting another promising start slip away in a 110-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Nets came out with another solid start, but couldn’t sustain it over four quarters.
The road doesn’t get any easier tonight. The Nets won’t have Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr., leaving Nolan Traoré with an opportunity to take on a larger role at point guard. They’re back on the road at Indiana, who are also trying to find their footing after a 145-125 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday.
The Pacers enter at 2-4, but remain a dangerous opponent even without its franchise point guard, Tyrese Haliburton. The two-time All-Star will miss some time with a strained hamstring.
Indiana won the first meeting between these teams, 136-109, on Oct. 25.
Game Info & How to Watch
Matchup: Brooklyn Nets (0-5) at Indiana Pacers (2-4)
OUT: Tyler Bilodeau (G League assignment, two-way)
OUT: Grant Nelson (G League assignment, two-way)
Indiana Pacers
QUESTIONABLE: Obi Toppin (low back soreness)
OUT: Tyrese Haliburton (left hamstring strain)
OUT: Ben Sheppard (left meniscus surgery)
OUT: Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain)
OUT: Johnny Furphy (right ACL surgery)
OUT: T.J. McConnell (right hamstring strain)
PROBABLE: Aaron Nesmith (left hamstring strain)
Game Preview
“The Nets are off to their worst possible start, and Friday’s loss to Detroit didn’t do much to inspire confidence. People can accept losing, but they can’t accept poor effort. Brooklyn’s latest defeat left plenty of questions about the team’s effort and execution. This year was supposed to be different for the Nets, but it looks all too familiar.
Nolan Traore will get all the minutes he can handle tonight. With Demin and Brown Jr out, it’s on him to man the point. That’s a lot on his shoulders. He’ll need to dictate the offense and generate downhill pressure. If he does get to the rim, the Nets need him to turn those opportunities into points.” – Brian Fleurantin
💬 Discussion
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Cameron Carr was taken off of the Lakers’ injury report ahead of their game against the Raptors on Sunday.
Carr, whom the Lakers acquired from the Knicks after New York selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2026 draft, has missed all six of the Lakers’ games this season because of a strained right oblique.
Cameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles against the Golden State Warriors during a preseason game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images
Cameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in a preseason game in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. NBAE via Getty ImagesCameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images
Last season for Baylor, Carr averaged a team-high 18.9 points on 49.4% shooting from the field, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
Ziaire Williams (left foot injury) is questionable for the Lakers on Sunday and Adou Thiero (left knee injury management) remains out.
The Lakers (4-2) have back-to-back games against the Raptors on Sunday and the Heat on Monday.
Round 24 of voting was the last of 2023 (we did not do an actual wrap for the voting, but Jordan Sprinkle ended up being our final pick), and the full archive.
We are starting the Top 100 Prospect countdown on the same day as our first poll, with the goal of running a new poll every day. At that rate, we should get through 35 Votes before the Top 100 meets our polling, giving SSS readers 35 chances to weigh in on our Top 100. From there, we will stop the polling and run through the remaining players, finishing up as all players report to camp in mid-February.
As of now our countdown will start with Jarold Rosado as our Mr. 100 this year. We’ve customarily turned over the Prospect Vote to the next round as soon as the top vote-getter seems to have an insurmountable lead, but if there’s a rout, we’ll call it in a day. In order to get as many votes as possible in, we’ll try to wait no longer than two days before the next round.
For 2027, after the White Sox had a top overall pick for the first time in almost 50 years, our staff ballots were almost unanimous in picking one player as the top White Sox prospect. Do you agree?
Four players from last year’s Top 10 Prospects have lost their prospect status due to MLB service (Braden Montgomery at No. 1, Noah Schultz at No. 3, Hagen Smith at No. 4 and Sam Antonacci at No. 7). As an indication that there is some continuity in the system, four players on last year’s initial ballot appear in this year’s as well. With Mason Adams having been traded, that means just one player, Christian Oppor, performed poorly enough to drop off of our initial ballot.
Six of the 10 players on this first 2027 ballot played in the White Sox system in 2026, including two who made their major league debuts during the season. As to be expected drafting so early, we have four 2026 draft choices rounding out on the first ballot.
This year, the grandfather of our Top 100 is Tanner McDougal, marking his sixth year on our list and having moved from No. 21 to 22, 26, 63 and 6 so far. If all goes well, it will be his last, as he’ll see significant MLB time.
All right, let’s have some fun. And get voting!
What presumably would be a cakewalk for No. 1 overall draft pick Roch Cholowsky took a quick turn, as immediately Caleb Bonemer built an insurmountable edge in the voting. While eight of our nine votes on the masthead opted for Cholowsky, you have all dealt that preference a firm rebuttal, awarding him 46 of 65 votes (71%):
Bonemer was our No. 2-voted prospect in 2026, and came in at No. 26 in 2025, his first year on the ballot.
A year ago, our top-voted prospect was Braden Montgomery, and given his early promotion in 2026 that Vote turned out to be prescient. In 2025, Brooks Baldwin won in a massive upset, drawing 37% of the vote. In 2024, Colson Montgomery took the crown. In 2023, Oscar Colás was the winner. In the 2022 vote, it was Norge Vera in the top spot. In 2021, Andrew Vaughn was our top pick. Luis Robert Jr. took the honors in our initial 2020 vote.
After calling it early, resurgent infielder Javier Mogollón is the first player to join the ballot. Bring on Round 2!
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2027
William Bergolla Jr. Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 15 2026 high level Charlotte (AAA) Age relative to high level -5.1 years Overall 2026 stats (ACL/AAA) 11 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 9 RBI ▪️ .444/.524/.556 ▪️ 2-of-4 (50.0%) SB ▪️ 5 BB ▪️ 4 K ▪️ 1.000 FLD%▪️ 0.6 WAR
The epitome of a “Chris Getz player,” Bergolla offsets his Punch-and-Judy bat with deft baserunning, a killer glove and incredible plate discipline. Well young for his level, this legacy player (dad, also William Bergolla) has cut through the White Sox system like butter since his acquisition at the 2024 trade deadline (from Philly, for Tanner Banks). After getting some heavy run in Spring Training 2026, Bergolla was on the fast track to Chicago before a collision with left fielder Sam Antonacci in an April game for the Knights gave him a serious bone bruise in his leg; after a lengthy stint on the IL, Bergolla broke his injured leg in his first rehab game in the ACL.
Billy Carlson Shortstop Age 20 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 7 2026 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.3 years Overall 2026 stats (ACL/Low-A) 60 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 21 RBI ▪️ .252/.380/.335 ▪️ 14-of-16 (87.5%) SB ▪️ 41 BB ▪️ 59 K ▪️ .976 FLD%▪️ 1.5 WAR
It was a star-crossed pro debut for the 2025 first-rounder, who broke his left thumb in May and was later shut down for the season with a skin infection on his left leg. Let’s hope Carlson can get right for 2027, as the crush of blue-chip shortstops in the system (led by, of course, 2026’s overall No. 1 pick, Roch Cholowsky) could end up drowning him. Positives? Honestly, in his cameos at the plate Carlson flashed more pop to the gaps and on-base ability than expected.
Roch Cholowsky Shortstop Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -1.0 years Overall 2026 stats (NCAA) 60 games ▪️ 21 HR ▪️ 60 RBI ▪️ .320/.452/.636 ▪️ 36 BB ▪️ 36 K ▪️ 3.2 WAR
The first overall No. 1 pick for the White Sox in almost 50 years saw his debut at Winston-Salem cut short, to just nine games, by right wrist tendinitis and soreness. The White Sox shut him down on August 22, which is somewhat of a setback for a player regarded as “majors-ready” out of the draft. A bit dismaying was his sloppy defense (five errors in those nine games), betraying his rep as the obvious choice to man short once he makes it to the South Side.
Jaden Fauske Center Fielder Age 20 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 11 2026 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.3 years Overall 2026 stats 118 games ▪️ 4 HR ▪️ 48 RBI ▪️ .250/.388/.360 ▪️ 46-of-56 (82.1%) SB ▪️ 94 BB ▪️ 125 K ▪️ .948 FLD%▪️ 2.8 WAR
A year ago, we were not certain where Fauske would play, as a high school catcher announced at the draft as an outfielder-only. That proved to be the case in his first professional season, but what ho, Fauske saw more time in center than right field. And with quicks that saw Jaden snatch 46 bags in 118 games, the youngster might well stick in center.
Tanner McDougal Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 23 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 33 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking N/R 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 6 2026 high level Chicago (MLB) Age relative to high level -6.2 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AAA/MLB) 2-3 ▪️ 27 games (7 starts, 3 finishes) ▪️ 50 IP ▪️ 4.86 ERA ▪️ 53 K ▪️ 34 BB ▪️ 1.480 WHIP ▪️0.2 WAR
The good news is that McDougal was enough of a core piece to be promoted to Chicago in the second half of 2026. The bad news … well, where to start. McDougal’s presumptive march to the South Side rotation was stopped dead early in the season, when he was sidelined for weeks with forearm tightness. While the injury was thankfully not severe enough to necessitate a second TJS, Tanner was a relief arm for the rest of the season and not a stable one at that. His brief cameo in Chicago saw him rack up one out along with three walks.
Javier Mogollón Second Baseman Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek Third Baseman Age 19 2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
David Sandlin Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 26 2026 high level Chicago (MLB) Age relative to high level -4.2 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AAA/MLB) 7-2 ▪️ 24 games (22 starts) ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 1 SHO ▪️ 109 2/3 IP ▪️ 3.36 ERA ▪️ 115 K ▪️ 48 BB ▪️ 1.231 WHIP ▪️ 1.8 WAR
Sandlin entered the season late to the White Sox organization after coming over from Boston as the “real piece” of the Jordan Hicks deal. And it didn’t end up mattering much that he was perhaps the No. 10 starter in the organization as the balls rolled out for play in March, because Sandlin was the sole reliable starting pitcher to be promoted throughout 2026, and his numbers were scalded a bit (-0.3 WAR) by being the reliever who had to wear it when Will Venable’s gaffe saw Noah Schultz prematurely pulled from a game back on August 7. As much hype as there will be to wedge Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz or Grant Taylor into the 2027 rotation, Sandlin should have the inside track for a spot.
Landon Thome Shortstop Age 19 2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko Right-handed starting pitcher Age 21 2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA) Age relative to high level +0.1 years Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Calendars have moved from pumpkins to turkeys. Retail stores already have trees and lots of red and green. Your friends and family will start, if they haven’t already, asking what you’d like to have this year. If you have kids or grandkids, they’re probably telling you all on their own.
Your local NBA team is off to a rough start. But even if they lose Monday against the Warriors, at 1-4 they would match the “out of the gate” record last year from…eventual champion New York. Things had to happen to transform the Knicks’ start into the ultimate success. Which brings me back to the topic of wish lists. What do I want to see by December 25th from the Phoenix Suns to get the team back on a more positive trajectory?
For starters, how about starters? I’d like to see two changes in the starting five. One that has gained traction in recent days is a move to Collin Gillespie at point guard.
He plays smart, provides a shooting threat, and sets a tone from the effort perspective.
The second change would be to get Oso Ighodaro into the starting lineup. That one may not fully count as he was already there pre-injury. We are a much more cohesive unit with Oso and Collin joining Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges. Khaman Maluach is still developing, with some nice moments. His confidence can grow at a nice pace by getting significant minutes off the bench. He has done well in spurts, but has some breakdowns. Oso struggles at the line, and this would get him fewer minutes late in quarters when teams are often over the foul limit. Oso and/or Collin were in each of our top-6 best net rating duos last season, as shown in my article on the offseason.
This one might be a more difficult wish, like asking Santa for a new sports car. I’d like Jalen Green to accept, make that embrace, a move to Sixth Man. Think Leandro Barbosa, Jamal Crawford, or Lou Williams. He could play freely, with less competition for shots, playing more minutes with Jordan Goodwin, Ryan Dunn, and Maluach. Having more success this way could also showcase him, increasing stock value from its current state should the Suns want to trade him.
That brings me to my next wish. I hope the team identifies multiple target players for a deal ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. One target results in less leverage. Ideally, these players are a proven commodity with some length. Someone you could see being part of a contending team over the next couple of years. That could be a tricky one. Feel free to fire up the trade machine in the chat. My goal is that Phoenix is in a position by Christmas to start creating buzz through NBA sources and agents. Probably Jalen Green, possibly grouped with Rasher Fleming. Here’s a sample return that works after December 15, and would also clear $6 of cap space:
I ask for Devin Booker to turn it around. There are 24 games from now until then. He’s seemed out of sorts, frustrated, possibly less athletic, and we all see those gray hairs starting to pop. But he’s just 30, skilled, and I think in his own head right now. Most are still rooting hard for him to succeed, and perhaps the lineup change mentioned above will get him on the right track over that stretch of games.
Lastly, I want to see Jordan Ott take additional steps toward being a solid NBA coach. The lineup moves above would be a step in that direction.
What are the top criticisms in the Bright Side comments? Rotation rigidity, a disconnected defense, and too much small ball. I think of other great coaches and how they will ride a hot hand, pull players lacking effort or missing assignments, and match up with size when needed. He has the opportunity to adapt here. On a more connected defense, with the Suns giving up more than 120 points in every game so far, this may mean ratcheting up the pressure on assistant coaches and getting in the face of a few players. That style doesn’t work anymore when applied all the time, but could be effective in well-placed spurts. With Oso back, there is no reason we shouldn’t have him or Khaman on the court at all times.
Much like the holidays, now we wait and see. Did we get what we asked for? Will it be that sweater you’ll never wear? Maybe, just maybe, these wishes come true, and it will be a season to remember.
Jaylen Brown (7) of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles during a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026.
Things got intense between veteran guards Jaylen Brown and Grayson Allen as a battle for a loose ball got scrappy during a Halloween clash.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the 76ers star drove to the basket but was swarmed by Hornets near the baseline.
He and Allen both ended up on the hardwood grabbing for the ball.
Jaylen Brown (7) of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles during a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
A scuffle then followed as the ball went out of bounds. Allen pushed away Brown’s arm as the Hornets offseason addition tried to get up. Brown took exception to the push and shoved Allen back down.
Players from each team got in between Brown and Allen before the incident escalated further. Both players were assessed technical fouls by the referees.
Grayson Allen is no stranger to conflict.
The 31-year-old sharpshooter from Duke has built a reputation for getting under opposing players’ skin since his college days.
Charlotte Hornets guard Grayson Allen (8) is guarded by Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Allen always brings a competitive fire to each game that can appear to be excessive in certain moments, and has been behind a ton of instances where a ball handler was undercut while attempting a basket.
The nine-year pro previously got into a hectic situation with now-Thunder player Alex Caruso back in 2022 with the Chicago Bulls when Allen was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Allen got ejected after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for dragging down a mid-air Caruso while defending a Bulls fast break.
When Caruso was up in the air, Allen flew in and swatted at Caruso, sending the Bulls guard into a hard collision with the hardwood floor.
The Hornets led for most of Saturday’s game, but Brown and the 76ers rallied late to earn a 109-104 comeback win. Brown finished with a decent stat line of 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Allen led the Hornets with 27 points, including seven 3-pointers off the bench.
Adric at Oracle Park, 2026 | Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
The 2026 season has come to a close with a flop that will likely only be remembered in Milwaukee. Locally, the 2026 NLCS will be seen as the end of an era, as cracks papered over for a couple of years finally burst open in a way that probably felt cathartic by proxy in Toronto and the Bronx.
Today is not a day for that postmortem examination of what went wrong. Today we don’t cry that it’s over; we smile because it happened at all. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow, but one can look and wonder at the joys of yesterday. Although it never hurts to laugh at ourselves.
Mild spoilers for Lanterns, but I was trying something new from a bit of the show that made me chuckle.
On the anniversary of arguably the greatest game ever played, we return to that fateful night through the penultimate game of the regular season, when my mother wanted to visit Oracle Park for the first time.
By Timely Ferry
As someone who has lived in this part of the Bay Area for almost two years, after a year-long sabbatical near Fresno, I admit I don’t take as much public transit as I used to. But one way to get to Oracle Park I had always wanted to try was by ferry. A dedicated game-service ferry arrives about an hour before game time and leaves exactly twenty minutes after the last pitch for about $30 round trip.
The selling point for this ferry is that it drops you off and returns from a port literally right by Oracle Park. There is regular service between Vallejo and San Francisco, but San Francisco’s ferry terminal is about a twenty-minute walk from Oracle Park.
As for ferries, I have been on two in my life: a slow ferry that went from Belfast to Glasgow and back for a day trip I took after my job at The Parades Commission was essentially completed, where I had haggis for the first time (I liked it). Did I get up to any Catherine Breillat-esque shenanigans on the brief crossing? No, as it was too brief a crossing.
Here, we have an hour-long ride where, if you arrive soon enough, you get a seat on calm water and the chance to buy snacks.
Guess how I know about the exactly twenty minutes part? Yeah, we missed the return trip. For future reference, for best results with the special Vallejo ferry service, either try to leave the ballpark early or sit in the bleachers. If you miss that special return ferry, you will need to get to the Ferry Terminal by local train or by walking the Embarcadero.
As for the game, Mom wanted to go because she knew of the impending lockout and wanted an excuse to come see me, and by extension, Oracle Park. For anyone keeping track besides me, she’s now at seven ballparks and hopes to go to Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore next year, assuming we get some semblance of a schedule.
She would have liked more time to explore the stadium, but we had fun seeing bits of San Francisco that she wouldn’t have seen otherwise. When I first moved to the Bay Area, I lived on Harrison St., about a ten-minute walk to Oracle Park. It’s funny how things go full circle sometimes.
My buddy from law school, Louie, joined us, and we had a good time. Louie was with me that very first game in Oakland back in 2021, which ended up starting this entire baseball adventure. Nowadays, we just go to a game in San Francisco when the Dodgers are in town.
One Year Out
One year ago today, arguably the greatest baseball game ever played was started. It didn’t finish until 1 am local time. I tried to soak in as much of the atmosphere as possible by getting to the ballpark three hours early after a nap.
For the first time, I have included the playlist I have created of the major moments I recorded from Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. It’s funny, considering how stressful this game was for everyone involved, I was generally calm throughout, determined to have a good time.
The kicker is that the only thing I feared last year was a result similar to Game 3 of the 2026 World Series: a game that snowballed into a laugher in a hurry. Whereas Tropicana Field was rocking with away fans, a shocking development I know, the thing that stands out at Rogers Centre that night was how quiet things got at the end.
Not “Tokyo Series quiet,” where you felt like you were committing a sin if you were talking to your seatmate, but the answer to a question: what does a domed stadium sound like when all the air gets let out?
One thought I had on the tarmac when I flew back to San Francisco the next day was: how could baseball top what I just witnessed? The short answer: it couldn’t. My adventures in 2026 were personally memorable, but unlike other years, the memory of a game from a different season took up all my mental bandwidth.
If pressed, the Yamamoto almost no-hitter stands out, as does the first game after the All-Star Break: the duel between Roki Sasaki and Gerrit Cole in New York. Unlike other years, this season melded good and bad, and it carried its own weight.
Game 7 feels like yesterday and years ago at the same time. Nothing has measured up since, and that’s okay because generally nothing could measure up like that. Yamamoto throwing a perfect game would have been an interesting discussion, but Mookie Betts and Tristan Peters made that point moot.
No nightmare trip where everything went wrong, and no blissful romp where everything went right. There are worse ways to describe a campaign. I get the temptation to try and cling to this moment, but all things must pass.
What’s Next
With the upcoming MLB lockout and the completion of my first complete trip around the MLB circuit, starting in 2021, the most frequent question I get is what’s next. The short answer is wait and see, but I think I have come up with something interesting for 2027. Regardless, my travels will be limited to what I have in mind and my annual trip with Mom, hopefully to Baltimore.
On a programming note, I usually publish my annual update of On the Road with Eli (zondo) and Adric around the start of the year, which serves as the omnibus update containing all the Guide entries in one place. Generally, we publish a new entry when the Dodgers return to a place I have been.
So far, we have 26 MLB entries, plus an extra entry for Sutter Health Park.
In a normal year, one would expect two entries: Philadelphia and Arlington (first visit since I went in 2025). But with the pending lockout, I am going to tweak the formula, and I need your help. Four entries remain to finish the Guide: Arlington, Houston, Philadelphia, and the Bronx.
For the next 30 days, please vote in the comments for which of the four remaining cities you want to see next. The city with the most votes on December 1 will be the next entry, most likely out by Christmas; then we’ll release another entry every three to four weeks, starting with the second-most votes, until we finish. The goal is to publish the final ranking once baseball returns.
Please leave your votes in the comments. As always, thank you for coming along virtually with me on my travels in 2026.
SAN FRANCISCO – All the confetti and remnants of a championship celebration were gone. As the Bay Area continues to celebrate the WNBA champion Valkyries, there was another game to be played Saturday night at Chase Center.
The Warriors welcomed the Los Angeles Clippers but were shorthanded without Steph Curry and Draymond Green on the first night of a back-to-back. Their absence didn’t matter because the Warriors have Yaxel Lendeborg, and the Clippers don’t.
How did Lendeborg come back from his stinker of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers? His answer was leading the Warriors to a 124-112 win over the Clippers with a game-high 37 points on 13-of-19 shooting, going 6 of 11 from 3-point range and also adding four rebounds and six assists.
Lendeborg played 112 college games at the Division-I level between UAB and Michigan, and had one 30-point game. Through his first seven NBA games, he already has two such games.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ fourth straight win.
Yaxel’s Response
Not every game is going to be perfect for Lendeborg. Not in his rookie year, and not as his career progresses. But after the worst game of his young NBA life, Lendeborg was nearly perfect in the first half.
With the Warriors ahead by six points at halftime, Lendeborg was the game’s leading scorer. He already scored 19 points after just six the previous game, going 7 of 8 from the field and 3 of 4 from 3-point range. Lendeborg also had three assists and consistently found himself attacking the paint to create good ball movement.
Throughout the game, Lendeborg hunted for mismatches. He was too strong for players like Kobe Sanders and took advantage of enough space behind the 3-point line. When Rui Hachimura didn’t respect his outside shot, Lendeborg made him pay multiple times.
A three in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter gave Lendeborg a new career high of 32 points. Lendeborg also wasn’t called for a foul until there were seven minutes remaining, one game after fouling out. He’s an incredibly fast learner who’s translating his lessons to the court in real time.
Can’t Teach Speed
In the first game the Warriors played without Curry this season, Williams went for 20 points in a road loss to the Suns. Williams knew the Warriors had to lean on him as a top scoring option, and they did. If the Clippers blinked, they missed him, too.
Williams zoomed by the Clippers’ defense for 12 first-half points, flying in for a layup and two floaters. The cherry on top was Williams making two of his three attempts beyond the arc. When Williams came in during the third quarter, the Clippers still didn’t have an answer.
He checked in at the 4:26 mark of the third quarter and was at the rim for another layup 25 seconds later. Guards, wings and big men tried their best but could not stay in front of Williams. The Warriors need his change of pace with an available Curry, and his scoring prowess becomes that much more important without him.
In the two games Curry has missed, Williams now is averaging 18.5 points on 57.1 percent shooting.
Closing Time
Winning on the margins is a major theme of the Warriors, who know their margin of error down Curry and Green is razor thin. Enjoying a double-digit lead, they began to forget that concept in the third quarter. The Warriors committed just five turnovers in the first half, but then gave the ball away seven times in the third quarter as their lead dwindled to seven points entering the fourth.
The Warriors in the fourth quarter took it to the Clippers on both ends. They scored at all three levels, played energized defense and didn’t lose control of the ball left and right.
There still were four minutes to go when LJ Cryer, who is on a two-way contract, entered the game. The Clippers already had emptied their bench by then. The only thing left for the starters to do was see if Lendeborg could reach 40 points, but he fell just shy of the mark despite his best efforts.
Golden State cut its turnovers down to just three in the fourth quarter and was able to hold off LA’s attempt at a late rally.
In case the Connor Hellebuyck news wasn’t crazy enough, the trade drama around the NHL got a little spicier this week. Dylan Larkin is demanding his way out of Detroit and will no longer play with the team in hopes of a trade. Then there was the bomb of the weekend: Tampa Bay Lightning star and reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov wants out after the season and prefers a trade.
This has the league on notice, and many teams are preparing for a busy trade season (in case the offseason wasn’t busy enough). Which teams can land Larkin? Who can get Kucherov if he’s available for a trade? Who can sign Kucherov to a long-term deal if he’s asking to be the highest-paid forward in the game?
The New Jersey Devils are right in the mix. A Kucherov move is unlikely, but a Larkin trade is within reason, especially since Mehta proved he’s willing to make a big trade, with Hellebuyck being a case in point.
The Devils will have some competition in the Larkin sweepstakes. 10 teams are on his trade list, plus the Montreal Canadiens, who aren’t on his list, have enough assets to fill a void at center if he changes his mind. So, it’s a tough trade to pull off and where this week’s Devils Notebook begins.
Can The Devils Give The Red Wings The Best Larkin Offer?
Larkin is willing to lift his no-trade clause to join 10 teams. That list includes the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Mammoth, Vegas Golden Knights, and Washington Capitals. Plus, the Montreal Canadiens, who aren’t on Larkin’s list, have enough to offer if he changes his mind and will heavily pursue the top-six center.
The Avalanche, Golden Knights, Lightning, Panthers, and Stars don’t have enough to convince interim GM Shawn Horcoff. So, that whittles down the list to six teams. Which one can make the best offer? Let’s start with what the Devils can put together.
Devils Offer: Anton Silaev, Cody Glass & A 2027 First
Anton Silaev is the difference-maker in any Devils offer. He’s the young defenseman the Red Wings would want who can eventually develop into a shutdown option, much like Simon Edvinsson is now. If the Devils don’t want to move Silaev, they must consider a young NHLer on the roster. Someone like Arseny Gritsyuk checks off that box, but considering the season he’s having, it’s unlikely Mehta moves him. So, the prospect defenseman and one of the two first-round picks, plus Cody Glass as a placeholder at center, make the most sense.
Carolina Hurricanes: Bradly Nadeau, Felix Unger-Sorum & A 2028 first
The Hurricanes have prospects on top of prospects who are in the American Hockey League but have no path to the NHL roster because of their depth. It gives them the luxury of emptying the prospect pool to make this trade work. The Hurricanes also have a spare first-round pick from the Mikko Rantanen trade that they can offer to sweeten the offer.
Minnesota Wild: Danila Yurov, Ryan Hartman & 2027 First
Danila Yurov can swing this trade. He’s a young center developing into a building block. It’s something the Red Wings want, and the question from the Wild side is whether they want to move one of the few future pieces in their system. They don’t have much, so it seems necessary to fill the center need.
Montreal Canadiens: Michael Hage, Oliver Kapanen & Adam Engstrom
The Canadiens are another team with prospects on top of prospects and can put together one of the best offers, if not the best. Michael Hage and Oliver Kapanen give the Red Wings two young centers to build around, while Adam Engstrom is a defenseman who fills a void. The only holdup is Larkin, who doesn’t have the Canadiens on his list.
Utah Mammoth: Caleb Desnoyers or Dmitri Simashev
The Mammoth have three big-name prospects they might eventually slip for a star player. Caleb Desnoyers might be enough to get this deal done as a young center with high upside. Otherwise, Tij Iginla is a top winger in their system, while Dmitry Simashev is already on the NHL roster and a stay-at-home defenseman the Red Wings would want.
Washington Capitals: Andrew Cristall, Ivan Miroshnichenko & a 2027 First
The Capitals are another team with a surplus of prospects, specifically at wing, that they can move in an intriguing package for Larkin. The Red Wings want centers, and both Protas brothers check that box, but it’s doubtful the Capitals will move either. That said, Andrew Cristall is a high-upside player, especially on the offensive end, who can allow them to pull off this trade.
Which Offer Would The Red Wings Take?
The Canadiens have the best offer on the table, while the Mammoth have the best prospect to offer, whether it’s Desnoyers or Iginla. However, the complete package that is the best offer is the Hurricanes deal. It includes two high-end prospects and a first-round pick. Plus, if the Hurricanes want to up the ante, they can add defenseman Charles Alexis-Legeault to the deal, another prospect who is blocked from joining the NHL roster.
The Devils are close. They have a good offer. That said, they can’t make the best one. They can also add a piece or two to one-up the other teams. However, from Mehta’s perspective, it’s better to keep his offer on the table and not overpay for Larkin. His offer would still get a move done, but it’s unlikely it’s the one the Red Wings will choose.
The Devils Have A Goal Chase Developing Between Hischier & Gritsyuk: Who Wins It?
Much like a home run chase, the Devils have a goal-scoring chase developing one month into the season. It’s the best type of competition, a healthy one that helps the Devils win games.
There’s Nico Hischier, the veteran with seven goals, four on the power play (the rest of the team has three on the man advantage). He took the team lead when he found the back of the net twice against the Colorado Avalanche.
Then there’s the newcomer, the challenger of the group. Arseny Gritsyuk retook the lead from Hischier with his two-goal night against the Vegas Golden Knights. He has eight on the season and is showing how good he is on the Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt line.
Speaking of Hughes, he’s hot on Gritsyuk and Hischier’s heels with six goals. Plus, he has the team lead in points with 16 in 14 games, making him the only point-per-game player on the Devils.
Who will win this race? The safe bet is Hischier, the veteran known for his ability to consistently find the back of the net. However, don’t put it past Gritsyuk to have a breakout year.
With the way Gritsyuk has developed with the Devils, the 25-year-old winger is poised for a big payday when his contract is up. The good news is that Mehta has time with Gritsyuk on a three-year deal with a $3.2 million average annual value.
Quick Hits
Kucherov asked for a trade this week, and it drew mixed reactions around the hockey world. The Lightning don’t want to trade him, and there’s a chance they keep him all season, knowing he still gives them a good chance to win the Cup. Yet, there’s also a chance he joins a contender as a rental and then signs a lucrative deal in the offseason.
This will impact the Devils if he’s traded to a team in the Metropolitan Division, and the three teams to watch are the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, and Washington Capitals. The Capitals particularly have a sentimental value for Kucherov if he wants to play alongside Ovechkin in his final NHL teams. If he is traded to any of those teams, it makes for a fun division chase.
Speaking of the division, the first month is a good enough sample size to see how it’s shaping up. While a team can’t win a championship in the first month, they can certainly lose one, and a slow start can doom a team for the rest of the season. That looks to be the case with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Devils have left those teams in the dust and now are fighting at the top with the Hurricanes, while the Capitals, Rangers, and New York Islanders will be hot on their heels.
The Devils are back home this week and continuing their Western Conference swing. They host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and then the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, Nov. 5, before heading back on the road for the weekend.
The Oilers are an interesting team for the Devils because it’s a true test for Hellebuyck. He’s easing his way into the starting goaltending role but hasn’t faced a tough offense, certainly not the league-best one that averages 4.21 goals per game. If Hellebuyck stops the Oilers, it’s proof the Devils need that he’s ready for the full workload and can carry them to a great season.
Speaking of Hellebuyck, the Devils did a good job easing him into NHL action. He only faced 18 shots against the Dallas Stars and 21 against the Vegas Golden Knights. With the way the defense is playing, Hellebuyck can fully acclimate after missing training camp.
The Devils traded Rémi Poirier to the Capitals for a seventh-round pick. With the Hellebuyck acquisition, there wasn’t a path for Poirier on the NHL roster, and a trade gives him a chance to start on the Capitals. The big thing for the Devils is that Mehta claimed him off waivers and managed to add a draft pick at the end of the day. It’s another future piece he’s adding that he can eventually use to make another trade, which would surprise nobody if he did.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 19: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk off three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on May 19, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Arizona Diamondbacks/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As promised on Wednesday, the SnakePit Awards get under way today, beginning with the Play of the Year. This is always fun to put together, because I basically get to spent a couple of days assembling highlight reels. However, there are bound to be examples which escaped my attention, and that’s why we have this pre-ballot thread. As well as filtering down the nominees, it’s also your chance to make a pitch (pun, for once, not intended!) for any candidates which may have escaped my attention. Typically, we will have five nominees, and these usually include one home-run, two infield plays, and two outfield plays. But I am prepared to hear arguments to the contrary! Here’s how this will work.
Go to the comments section.
If your choice is already mentioned there, give it a “rec”.
If your choice is NOT mentioned, copy paste the FULL description, and leave that as a new comment.
If it’s not listed, I’d recommend posting a link to a video. The MLB Video Search tool will be very helpful: here are 186 plays for your consideration!
Duplicate nominations will get deleted.
Mid-week, I’ll tally up the recs, and use those as a guide towards a list of five or so nominees.
Home-runs
Ketel Marte walks off the Giants – May 19
Ketel Marte blasts one 452 ft. At night. In San Francisco – May 26
Geraldo Perdomo gets an inside the parker – July 19
Ryan Waldschmidt walks off the Dodgers – August 7
Ryan Waldschmidt walks off the Cubs (WP +85.5%) – August 25
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. throws out Myles Straw at second – April 18 [for some reason, MLB wouldn’t let me include this one in the reel below – you can see it here]
Tim Tawa’s incredible backhanded running catch – May 1
Tommy Troy robs Jacob Young of extra bases – June 6
Jordan Lawlar makes a stellar play in center – June 12
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s home run robbery – July 3
Ryan Waldschmidt’s great leaping catch – July 27
Corbin Carroll ROBS a home run! – August 7
Ryan Waldschmidt’s rolling grab in the 4th – August 14
Lars Nootbaar’s leaping catch at the wall – August 19
TUCSON, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 10: Jarlin Susana #91 of the Washington Nationals pitches during a game between the Salt River Rafters and the Scottsdale Scorpions at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 10, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Arizona Fall League gives minor league players another chance to hone their craft against top competition, with all 30 clubs sending prospects and those players split into 6 teams. Last year’s AFL standout for the Nationals was Seaver King, who posted a 1.030 OPS in 79 plate appearances, foreshadowing a huge breakout in 2026. The Arizona Fall League is also where King credits current Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle for helping him simplify his approach at the plate.
This year, the Nationals have 9 players who have been participating in the Arizona Fall League as part of the Salt River Rafters. I want to take a look at 3 of these players and why their current performances in the AFL are worth paying attention to:
RHP Jarlin Susana
The hot ticket prospect for the Nats in the AFL, Susana has been lighting up the radar gun as he often does for the River Rafters, touching 102 MPH consistently. In 16 innings so far, Susana has posted a 4.50 ERA, not the best by any means, but the underlying metrics all support Susana being one of the toughest pitchers to face in the minor leagues.
Jarlin Susana is putting in WORK in the Arizona Fall League ☀️ 🌵
The Nationals righthander (BA's No. 51 prospect) has eight strikeouts and one earned run allowed through 5.2 IP so far this fall.
Additionally, the 103.8 mph fastball Susana threw in his first AFL start was the… pic.twitter.com/mNlC7MnEUB
Susana’s Stuff+ of 113.7 is the 3rd best among all AFL pitchers, and the best of all pitchers with at least 25 hitters faced. His swing-and-miss stuff looks as sharp as ever as well, with his 30% whiff rate and 36.4% chase rate ranking near the top among all AFL pitchers. His command hasn’t been an issue either, with his 12.5% walk rate being above average among all AFL arms.
Susana has gotten into trouble when hitters make contact, with a rough 45.5% hard-hit rate currently, but his stuff is so good he makes it hard for hitters to hit the ball how they want to, as shown by Susana’s barrel rate of 0% currently in the AFL (barrel rate considers both how hard the ball was hit and the launch angle of the hit, for reference). If Susana pitches like this at Triple-A to begin 2027, he’ll find himself in the big leagues rather quickly.
C Kevin Bazzell
The Nats’ third-round pick in 2024, Bazzell had a rough 2025 campaign, posting an 87 wRC+ in 84 games at Low A, but 2026 was a nice rebound for the backstop from Texas Tech, as he posted a 125 wRC+ in 66 games across High A and Double A. Bazzell has now picked up in the AFL right where he left off during the season, as he has a 1.078 OPS in 45 plate appearances for the River Rafters.
Power has never been the strongest part of Bazzell’s game, but it’s been showing up some in the AFL, with a .181 ISO and .545 SLG. Bazzell’s calling card is his on-base ability, and he’s shown why so far in the AFL, as he currently has a .364 AVG and .533 OBP. The 23-year-old catcher will likely open next season at Double-A, and has a chance to be knocking on the door of the big leagues by year’s end if he can continue to hit as he has in 2026.
OF Teo Banks
The Nat’s 18th-round pick in the 2024 draft out of Tulane, Banks hasn’t shown much so far in his minor league career, with a 29 wRC+ in 65 games in 2025 and a 90 wRC+ in 92 games at High A in 2026, but he’s shown up big time so far in the AFL, with a 1.064 OPS in 71 plate appearances.
Banks makes a deposit 💸 @nationals prospect Teo Banks hits his fourth home run, a two run shot to make it a 10 run lead! Banks hit six in 92 games in 2026. pic.twitter.com/LaN2J9q5tL
Banks’ struggles often stem from his plate approach, as he currently has a 30.9% chase rate in the AFL, but all his other tools are looking sharp, with a 16.1% whiff rate and an 88.1 MPH average exit velocity. When Banks is able to keep the swing-and-miss in check, his raw power allows him to do damage, and he’s doing that so far in the AFL for the River Rafters. 2027 will be a critical year for Banks to prove he can hit professional pitching consistently, and his performance so far in the AFL is encouraging
The left-handed workhorse made his major-league debut with the Mets in 1967 and was an All-Star the following year and in 1969 as the "Miracle Mets" defeated the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.
"Kooz" played 12 seasons with the Mets before he was traded to the Minnesota Twins in a deal that sent 22-year-old reliever Jesse Orosco to New York. Koosman later pitched for the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies before ending his career after the 1985 season at age 42.
We are saddened to share the news that Jerry Koosman has passed away. We send our thoughts and prayers to his family. pic.twitter.com/8zriJmxCBe
Over 19 seasons in the majors, Koosman posted a record of 222-209 with a 3.36 ERA and 2,556 strikeouts in 3,839⅓ innings.
In the postseason, he won both of his starts in the 1969 World Series against the Orioles − going 8⅔ innings in Game 2 and throwing a complete game in the clinching Game 5.
He also went 2-0 as the Mets returned to the World Series in 1973, winning Games 2 and 5 again. However, it came in a losing effort as the Mets were defeated by the Oakland A's.
He is still the winningest left-hander in Mets franchise history. He is a member of the team's Hall of Fame and had his jersey retired in 2021.
