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White Sox-Guardians clash highlights four MLB pennant race showdowns

Six divisions, four runaways, one battle to see which club proves less feeble.

Thank goodness for the American League Central.

Never thought you’d be hearing that, eh? Yet, that’s where most of the tension will be focused over the final two weeks of this Major League Baseball season – beginning with a long-anticipated head-to-head battle.

The surprising Chicago White Sox are hanging by a thread, taking a half-game Central lead to Cleveland where the always-resilient Guardians aim to steal off with their third consecutive division title.

The clash on the Cuyahoga highlights four series with significant playoff ramifications this week:

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians

When: Monday-Wednesday, Progressive Field

Key matchup: Tuesday – White Sox RH Davis Martin vs. Guardians LH Foster Griffin

Outlook: A consequence of the more-balanced schedule that features beaucoup interleague play is that division rivals often do not play each other in September. Not this time, baby!

The White Sox have held at least a share of the AL Central lead since July 4, with the Guardians yapping at their heels the whole time. Now, the dog has caught up to the car: Chicago holds just a half-game lead entering this tussle. And on paper, all the pitching matchups favor Cleveland.

Steven Kwan and the Cleveland Guardians return home for a three-game showdown against the first-place Chicago White Sox.

Lefty Sean Newcomb will try to battle Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams, whose 228 strikeouts are tied for the major league lead, on Monday, Sept. 14. The Martin-Griffin matchup is also intriguing; they strike out 7.6 and 8.1 batters per nine, respectively, and require exquisite command to be effective. Not much margin for error.

Parker Messick, the Guardians left-hander who’s a worthy Rookie of the Year candidate, will face a TBD White Sox starter in the Wednesday afternoon finale (ESPN). The Guardians would need a sweep to win the season series, which of course may loom large.

If the season ended now – and it does not – both teams would make the playoffs; Cleveland has a one-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays for the final wild card spot. The Guardians also lost the season series to the Blue Jays. Speaking of which…

Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers

When: Friday-Sunday, Globe Life Field

Key matchup: Friday – Blue Jays RH Dylan Cease vs. Rangers RH Kumar Rocker

Outlook: Ah, isn’t this the life: A 75-75 team just a game out of a wild card spot, and a 74-76 squad just a game out of the division lead. Welcome to Blue Jays-Rangers, where a winning record may not be a prerequisite to make the playoffs.

The Blue Jays, at least, are trending positively, not only winning a de facto elimination series against Baltimore but also learning that 2025 playoff hero Trey Yesavage will likely return to the rotation this week – probably Tuesday – after August arthroscopic knee surgery. That will be a big boost to their rotation as they can likely skip Spencer Arrighetti’s turn.

Either way, the Rangers will get both Cease and trade deadline prize José Soriano, giving Toronto a significant edge in this series. The Blue Jays haven’t been two games over .500 since April 1, the Rangers since July 28. The odds are stacked against Texas this week, with the Red Sox preceding the Blue Jays into Arlington.

MLB POWER RANKINGS: Can Vlad Jr., Blue Jays wake up in time for playoffs?

Atlanta Braves at Houston Astros

When: Friday-Sunday, Daikin Park

Key matchup: Friday – Braves LH Chris Sale vs. Astros RH Hayden Wesneski

Outlook: There’s a chance the Braves may soil the carpet in the visiting clubhouse with champagne this weekend, as they take a magic number of four to clinch a playoff berth and seven to clinch the NL East into this week. It’s more likely they’ll wrap up the playoff spot at Wrigley Field, while the division may have to wait until early next week. That said, the Braves could be closing in on a marginally competitive situation: The division salted away and a first-round bye too far out of reach.

Atlanta remains three games behind the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed, certainly an achievable goal in these last 12 games. Yet, it will be interesting to see how they handle Sale, the 37-year-old ace, in his last regular season starts. They’ve given him a week’s rest between starts and he threw 109, 103 and 94 pitches, respectively, his past three outings, all key victories over the Dodgers and Phillies, twice.

The Astros took it on the chin at Tampa Bay, perhaps a grim harbinger of their playoff fate should they hold onto their one-game cushion over the Rangers. Other than this series, the schedule is in their favor: Three games against Kansas City on the front half of this week, Atlanta and then a season-ending trip to Seattle and Yolo County to finish the schedule against the last-place Athletics.

New York Yankees at Arizona Diamondbacks

When: Friday-Sunday, Chase Field

Key matchup: Saturday – Yankees RH Cam Schlittler vs. Diamondbacks LH Eduardo Rodriguez

Outlook: Twenty-five years after Mariano Rivera’s blown save in the desert, these clubs renew acquaintances with much smaller, though not inconsequential, stakes. Can’t fault either club for looking ahead a bit: After leaving Chase Field, the Yankees return home for a four-game series against first-place Tampa Bay, which holds a four-game lead in the AL East . And the Diamondbacks finish the season with three games at San Diego, the club directly above them in the wild-card standings.

But Arizona can’t afford to fall much further behind. The Diamondbacks are 2½ games out of a playoff spot, and the Padres have four games this week at last-place Colorado. Saturday’s matchup should be dandy. Schlittler’s 1.95 ERA is tied with Jacob Misiorowski for the major league lead, while Rodriguez’s 2.62 mark is tied for third in the NL.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White Sox-Guardians clash highlights four MLB pennant race showdowns

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'Sneaky' Oliver Bonk Impressing Flyers In Rookie Camp

Although a few more days separate rookie camp and the official start of training camp, top Philadelphia Flyers defense prospect Oliver Bonk is making as good of an early impression as he possibly can to bolster his chances of making the NHL roster full-time later this month.

Bonk, 21, played in the second of two Rookie Series games against the New York Rangers this weekend, drawing into the lineup alongside fellow first-round pick Maksim Sokolovskii on Sunday night.

As he should in a game like this, Bonk turned in a dominant performance at both ends of the ice, featuring on the power play in the bumper position and the penalty kill.

The former 22nd overall pick also picked up an assist to get on the scoresheet, feeding longtime teammate Denver Barkey on a 2-on-1 to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.

All night long, it was noticeable how frequently, and how effectively, Bonk jumped in the rush to support the Flyers' offense, and he could have easily been rewarded with more than just one primary assist in the eventual 4-1 win.

"He's very smart, and he's surgical on his decisions and when he jumps up into the play. He's good at kind of hiding himself in those situations and just hitting with a burst and jumping into a spot at the right time," Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach John Snowden said of Bonk after the game.

Flyers' Porter Martone Drawing Rave Reviews Early In Rookie Camp: 'Wants To Be A Superstar Player'Flyers' Porter Martone Drawing Rave Reviews Early In Rookie Camp: 'Wants To Be A Superstar Player'Top Philadelphia Flyers prospect Porter Martone is doing all the right things and impressing his coaches as he prepares to play his first full season in the NHL.

"His transition game, he's really good at moving the puck and then just keeping his speed going and getting above the forecheck, and then it allows him to join that rush and be even more connected with it. He showed that last year, and he showed it right away again that he has that ability to really understand when to go and how to get there and how to be, I would almost say 'sneaky', finding those little dead areas that he finds."

It's more effusive praise of Bonk from Snowden, who coached the talented first-rounder for 46 games at the AHL level before his two-point NHL debut and Stanley Cup playoff debut to end the 2025-26 season.

Bonk is a player the Flyers have been high on since he was drafted with the 22nd pick back in 2023, thanks in large part to his high hockey IQ (dad Radek played over 1,000 professional games, including 969 NHL regular season games) and versatility.

In due time, Bonk, like his dad, will become an NHL regular, and some strong early performances, even in something minor like rookie camp, will only boost his chances of securing a roster spot ahead of main training camp, which kicks off on Thursday.

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2026 Brewers Week in Review: Week 25

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 11: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after hitting an RBI single in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field on September 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last Week’s Results:

  • Monday: Brewers 4, Cubs 3
  • Tuesday: Brewers 4, Cubs 3
  • Wednesday: Brewers 8, Cubs 6
  • Friday: Brewers 20, Reds 0
  • Saturday: Brewers 13, Reds 9
  • Sunday: Reds 4, Brewers 3

Division Standings:

  • Brewers 93-57
  • Cubs 83-67 (10 GB)
  • Pirates 75-75 (18 GB)
  • Cardinals 74-76 (19 GB)
  • Reds 70-79 (22.5 GB)

Last Week:

  • Brewers 5-1
  • Cubs 2-4
  • Pirates 4-2
  • Cardinals 2-4
  • Reds 1-5

Top Pitching Performance of the Week

This week was not short on solid pitching performances, so it’s really difficult to pick just one. Dustin May went six shutout innings against the Reds, Logan Henderson allowed just an unearned run over five innings, and Jacob Misiorowski turned in another strong outing with 6 1/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out nine. But how about Robert Gasser? While he didn’t provide a ton of length, Gasser totaled 9 2/3 innings in his two starts this week, allowing two runs (1.86 ERA) and recording a team-high 10 strikeouts.

Several bullpen arms also deserve shoutouts, including Chad Patrick (3 IP, 0 R, 6 K), DL Hall (3 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 K), JoJo Romero (3 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 K), and Garrett Stallings, who pitched three scoreless innings to close out Milwaukee’s 20-0 victory over the Reds, becoming the first pitcher to record a save in a shutout win of 20 runs or more. Stallings is off to a great start in his major league career, totaling 11 innings in relief for Milwaukee, allowing no runs and striking out 11.

Top Hitting Performance of the Week

How about another 20-run shutout? After beating the Mariners 22-0 in August, the Brewers took down the Reds 20-0 on Friday night, becoming the first team to ever have two 20-plus run shutout wins in a single season. With that and four other solid wins, the Brewers’ offense has no shortage of stars to shout out this week. William Contreras led the squad with three homers and 12 RBIs, but Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Brice Turang all added two homers, and Joey Ortiz and Christian Yelich each had one. All those homers also mean the Brewers no longer rank last in the majors (they’re now 28th with 146, one more than the Angels and four more than the Guardians)! Chourio led the team with 13 hits for the week, slashing .481/.517/815. Turang had 10 hits, Mitchell and Ortiz added eight hits, and six Brewers batted over .300 for the week.

Injury Notes & Roster Moves

  • Milwaukee placed reliever Grant Anderson on the 15-day injured list with right biceps inflammation on Monday, as he’ll look to get healthy before the team’s playoff run. Right-hander Brandon Sproat replaced him on the active roster and, in his return to the majors, went 1 1/3 innings, allowing four runs without allowing a hit as he walked four and hit another. Pat Murphy was obviously upset by the performance, and Sproat was quickly sent back to Triple-A Nashville, with the aforementioned Garrett Stallings replacing him.
  • Left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny, who hasn’t pitched in a major league game this year as he’s dealt with multiple injuries and setbacks, began another rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday. He pitched twice, totaling 1 2/3 innings with two runs allowed.

On Deck:

  • Monday: Off Day
  • Tuesday: @ Pirates (5:40 p.m.)
  • Wednesday: @ Pirates (5:40 p.m.)
  • Thursday: @ Pirates (11:35 a.m.)
  • Friday: @ Orioles (6:05 p.m.)
  • Saturday: @ Orioles (3:05 p.m.)
  • Sunday: @ Orioles (6:20 p.m.)
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Tigers head to Toronto to take on Blue Jays for 3-game weekday series

The Detroit Tigers have been on a little run recently, having won four straight games and two straight series as the regular-season schedule quickly wanes. Perhaps it is too little, too late, but it is still great to see this team show some life even if the playoffs are all but mathematically out of the question.

Next up on the docket is a trip to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays in a three-game weekday series starting on Monday night. Right-hander Troy Melton will start in the opener looking to get back on track after a rough five-game stretch in which his team has lost four.

The 25-year-old has put up a 5.14 ERA and a 5.21 FIP over that span, having surrendered 20 runs — but only 16 were earned — on 35 hits (five home runs) and six walks while striking out 18 and hitting four batters over 28 innings of work. Detroit did win Melton’s last outing against the Minnesota Twins at home, but he still coughed up a four-spot over 5 2/3 frames, which is a far cry from his nine-game run that saw him allow two or fewer runs over 42 1/3 innings.

For the Blue Jays, fellow righty José Soriano will take the mound for his eighth start for Toronto since being traded by the Los Angeles Angels at the deadline. Since arriving north of the border, the 27-year-old’s numbers have declined, with his ERA increasing from 3.29 to 4.05, while his FIP got a bump from 3.79 to 4.33 and his WHIP jumping from 1.25 to 1.38.

Soriano did earn a quality start his last time out against the Athletics in Sacramento, however, tossing seven innings of two-run ball on six hits (two home runs) and a walk while striking out three and uncorking a wild pitch for his 12th win of the 2026 campaign in a 4-2 final.

Take a look below at how the two match up on paper for the series opener on Monday night.

Detroit Tigers (70-79) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (75-75)

Time (ET): 7:07 p.m.
Place: Rogers Center, Toronto, Ontario
SB Nation Site:Bluebird Banter
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 150: RHP Troy Melton (8-4, 2.42 ERA) vs. RHP José Soriano (12-7, 3.48 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Melton18108.020.06.941.94.061.6
Soriano29163.022.610.453.03.932.4

MELTON

SORIANO

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Phillies news: Trea Turner, Tanner Banks, Rafael Devers

Jun 12, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tanner Banks (58) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers on the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Who would have thought that in the year of our Lord 2026, we’d see a pitching matchup of Bailey Falter against Tanner Banks. What a crazy world that we live in.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

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Orioles news: O’s lose series in Toronto

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 13: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Orioles are done. Cooked. Finito. The miraculous run to the postseason ain’t happening. Start planning accordingly.

The Birds haven’t yet been mathematically eliminated, but there’s no feasible path to the final wild card spot at this point. They made it all but official with yesterday’s futile 8-1 defeat in Toronto that capped a lackluster series loss. It was a game that featured a nonexistent Orioles offense, a bullpen blowup, and the kind of shoddy defensive play to which O’s fans have become all too accustomed.

The Orioles are now four games behind the Guardians — essentially five, since Cleveland holds the tiebreaker — as well as three games behind the Blue Jays and two behind the Rangers, both of whom also hold tiebreakers over the Birds. In short, stick a fork in ’em. The O’s needed nothing less than a series win in Toronto, and preferably a sweep, to have any chance of staying alive. Instead, they crumbled.

I would say, Well, at least the Orioles had a good run, but…did they? The O’s were nominally involved in the postseason race into September, but only because of the American League’s historic mediocrity, not because the team itself was ever particularly good. The Orioles haven’t been an above-.500 team since April, and they’re not going to reach a winning record again this year.

The Orioles’ ineptitude has invited Baltimore sports fans to fully turn their attention to the NFL. It seems only appropriate that at the same time the Ravens won a 41-23 beatdown to begin their season, the O’s were limping through one of their most uninspired losses of the year. It’s as if the Orioles themselves were asking fans, “Why are you watching us instead of football right now?”

With the 2026 season now a lost cause, the Orioles should shift their focus to 2027 for the final two weeks. Give everyday playing time to the hitters who will still be on the team next year, and forget about those who won’t. Let Heston Kjerstad get regular at-bats. Play Samuel Basallo, Colton Cowser, and Dylan Beavers against left-handers. We don’t need to see Leody Taveras in the lineup anymore. Normally I would advocate for calling up Enrique Bradfield Jr. just to get his feet wet in the majors, too. But with a lockout looming this offseason, the O’s might not want to add him to the 40-man roster because then he’d be ineligible to play if MLB games are wiped out next year, whereas the 2027 minor league season will be unaffected.

While they’re at it, the O’s should protect the health of their homegrown pitchers who are showing visible signs of fatigue. Yesterday they finally shut down Kyle Bradish for the season by placing him on the 15-day IL. It would also be a good idea to call it a wrap on Brandon Young, who has set a career high in innings pitched. Call up Cade Povich or go with a few bullpen games to finish the season. As with Bradish, there’s no reason to push Young’s arm any further.

It stinks that the Orioles are once again playing out the string in late September, with nothing to play for but pride. But that’s where we are. It’s an organization in need of drastic changes this offseason, if the lockout allows. For now, let’s just hope they can play somewhat entertaining baseball for these final 12 games.

Links

Blue Jays hit 3 straight homers off Trevor Rogers to capture series win vs. Orioles – The Baltimore Banner

I understand why the Orioles keep saying things like, “We’ve just got to turn the page and go on a hot streak.” But those words ring hollow when you’ve been hearing them for three months with the O’s continually failing to follow through.

Do Orioles platoon too much? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Every team platoons to a certain extent, but the O’s seem to be particularly obsessive about it. The world won’t end if you let your $67 million, 22-year-old catcher face some southpaws from time to time.

Bradish placed on injured list – School of Roch

This probably should have been done weeks earlier. But Bradish’s dud of a birthday outing was the last straw.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Two former Orioles were born on this day: right-hander Chad Bradford (52) and outfielder Delmon Young (41), which means I am obligated to post this video:

Never gets old.

On this day in 1980, the Orioles’ Eddie Murray bashed three solo home runs against the Blue Jays, including a game-tying blast in the ninth and a go-ahead shot in the top of the 11th. Unfortunately, he was the only Orioles hitter who showed up that day; Murray had four hits and the rest of the team combined had just three, and Eddie’s three homers accounted for the Birds’ only runs in an eventual 4-3 walkoff loss.

And on this date in 1987, Cal Ripken Jr.’s record consecutive innings streak of 8,264 ended when his father, O’s manager Cal Ripken Sr., took him out of the eighth inning in an 18-3 loss to the Blue Jays. The early exit, of course, didn’t affect his consecutive games streak, which was five years deep and continued for another 11 years.

Random Orioles game of the day

The random number generator has given me the number…2025. So I guess we’re only going back one year for this one. On Sept. 14, 2025, the Orioles were blasted in Toronto, 11-2. (Why is every Orioles game on Sept. 14 against Toronto?) The O’s held their own in a bullpen game for a while until reliever Carson Ragsdale, making his major league debut, coughed up eight runs in three innings. It was one of just two MLB appearances for Ragsdale, who is currently pitching for the Hanshin Tigers of the Japan Farm League. Solo homers by Coby Mayo and Colton Cowser provided the only runs for the Orioles, who dropped to 69-80.

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Mets Daily Prospect Report, 9/14/26: Another one bites the dust

Hayden Senger of the Syracuse Mets runs the bases during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (38-37/38-30)

ST. PAUL 6, SYRACUSE 5 (BOX)

Coming into this one, Syracuse was 1 game behind the second place RailRiders (38-28) and 1.5 games behind the first place Redwings (40-28). With the two teams playing each other, Syracuse was guaranteed to gain ground on somebody. The Mets got on the board first, with Hayden Senger launching his twelfth home run of the season in the top of the third to drive in himself and Ryan Clifford, who was on third base on a triple. An inning later, Eric Wagaman drove in a pair to double Syracuse’s lead to 4-0. Justin Hagenman had been pitching well, allowing just a single run in the fourth before being removed from the game, but Ryan Lambert had no such luck. The right-hander allowed a three-run homer to tie the game up and then walked another batter before being taken out of the game having recorded just two outs. His replacement, Brian Metoyer, allowed a home run before getting out of the inning, and just like that, Syracuse trailed 6-4. Billy Amick brought Syracuse within one with two out solo shot in the ninth, but Ryan Clifford grounded out weakly to short to end things. With their loss, combined with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s, Syracuse is now 2 games behind the RailRiders and 2.5 games behind the Red Wings. They will finish up the season at home taking on the 32-25 Lehigh Valley IronPigs while Rochester will be playing the 31-35 Buffalo Bisons and the RailRiders will be playing the 29-39 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

·  CF D’Andre Smith: 0-3, BB, K

·  2B Émilien Pitre: 0-3, BB, K

·  3B Ronny Mauricio: 0-4, K

·  RF MJ Melendez: 0-3, R, BB, K

·  SS Vidal Bruján: 0-3, R, BB, K

·  1B Eric Wagaman: 1-4, RBI, K

·  DH Billy Amick: 1-4, R, HR (8), RBI, K

·  LF Ryan Clifford: 1-3, R, 3B, BB, K

·  C Hayden Senger: 1-3, R, HR (12), 2 RBI, 2 K

·  RHP Justin Hagenman: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

·  RHP Ryan Lambert: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HBP, L (3-2)

·  RHP Brian Metoyer: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

·  RHP Zach Franklin: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

·  LHP Jefry Yan: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

·  RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-42/34-34)

NO GAME (INCLEMENT WEATHER)

And just like that, folks, the 2026 Binghamton Rumble Ponies season comes to and end not with a bang but a whimper.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40/32-34)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (33-33/25-39)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Rookie: FCL Mets (24-33)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Hayden Senger

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Ryan Lambert

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Chicago Cubs history unpacked — September 14

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Dave Hillman, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 2003 – Homering in his final at-bat, Vladimir Guerrero hits for ‘Le Carrousel’ at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. Facing Mets’ southpaw Tom Glavine, the Expos right fielder doubles (second), singles (third) and hits a triple (fifth) and completes the sixth cycle in team history by going deep off Dan Wheeler in the seventh. and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

Today in Cubs history:

Cubs Birthdays:Dave Hillman, Jim Fanning, John Bottarini, Nick Allen, Reggie Richter. Also notable: Kid Nichols HOF.

Today in history:

  • 1814 – Francis Scott Key pens the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” later known as “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a ship in Baltimore Harbor.
  • 1901 – Theodore Roosevelt is sworn in as the youngest man to serve as US President, after William McKinley finally dies after an anarchist shoots him in Buffalo.
  • 1913 – Route for the Lincoln Highway is announced, the first paved coast-to-coast highway across the United States, with terminal points in New York City and San Francisco.
  • 1923 – In his fourth heavyweight boxing title defence Jack Dempsey recovers after being sent through the ropes to KO Argentine challenger Luis Firpo in the 2nd round at the Polo Grounds, NYC.
  • 1939 – World’s first practical helicopter, the VS-300, designed by Igor Sikorsky, takes a short tethered flight in Stratford, Connecticut.
  • 1956 – IBM introduces the RAMAC 305, the first commercial computer with a hard drive featuring magnetic disk storage, which weighs over a ton.
  • 1968 – Jimmy Ellis beats Floyd Patterson in 15 for heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1979 – The film “Quadrophenia”, loosely based on The Who’s 1973 rock opera of the same name, is released.
  • 1986 – NFL Bears running back Walter Payton scores his 100th career rushing touchdown, and gains 177 yards, surpassing 15,000-yard career plateau in 13-10 overtime win over visiting Philadelphia Eagles, at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois.
  • 2022 -Procession of Queen Elizabeth II‘s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster to lie in state, with queues of people paying their respects forming 2.4 miles (3.8km)

*pictured.

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DitD & Open Post – 9/14/26: Doc Talk Edition

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 24: Mike "Doc" Emrick acknowledges the fans during pregame ceremonies honoring Emrick prior to the start of the game between the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks at the Prudential Center on February 24, 2012 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

We have a rookie camp roster:

Anton Silaev has arrived. “He’s huge, he’s massive, but he’s got really good feet, really good coordination. Which is going to help with the transition on the smaller ice sheet and faster tempo.” [Devils NHL]

Mike “Doc” Emrick, the longtime voice of the Devils, reflects:

“New Jersey is set up for a bounce-back season, especially now that they have a full offensive roster tailor-made to succeed in the same style their core players want to play. Between their top-10 defensive play and their top-10 offensive play (on paper), it should be a fun season for the Devils’ forwards.” [Devils’ Advocates]

“You certainly can’t take these things for granted, but the Devils should be buyers in the trade market this season. With that, let’s look at six players Mehta and the Devils could target to improve the team midseason.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

Hockey Links

Mark Stone gets a two-year extension:

Chris Kreider lands in Montreal:

Zach Bolduc gets a four-year extension:

Dylan Larkin loses his captaincy:

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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Open Thread: Spurs to host Gregg Popovich Coach the Coaches Clinic before Silver & Black Scimmage

SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 28: The San Antonio Spurs look on during the game against the Houston Rockets on October 28, 2024 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photos by David DowNBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Last year I had the pleasure of attending the “Coach the Coaches Clinic” at the Frost Bank Center. It took place early in the day hours before the arena began filling seats for the annual Silver & Black Scrimmage. It was so successful that they have added the event to this year’s Silver& Black Scrimmage.

To be clear, the event does not feature Gregg Popovich. It is named in his honor for the expanse of knowledge he has shared with coaches over his decades. Whether on his staff or not, he served anyone who came to him for tutelage.

The invitees are basketball coaches representing all levels of players — collegiate, high school, middle school, recreational, community centers, AAU and club. The seminar was also open to officials, athletic directors, trainers, and aspiring coaches (that’s me).

Last year’s two-hour program featured a variety of skill demonstrations including defense, shooting, and player development. The event featured players from TMI Episcopal demonstrating with the coaches. At the time, their head coach was Monty Williams and the team included his sons as well as Tim Duncan’s son Draven.

This year has much of the same structure built in. Head coach Mitch Johnson will discuss leadership, team culture, and competitive preparation. Lead assistant coach Billy Donovan’s focus is on program building, player development, and winning culture. Assistant coach Mike Noyes will speak on teaching, coaching strategy, and purposeful practice design. And player development assistant coach Jimmy Baron will share on shooting and skill development for every level.

The event is free and includes a ticket to the Silver & Black Scrimmage taking place later in the afternoon.

Click HERE to register.

“Seats are limited. Register by Friday, October 2, or before spots fill—whichever comes first.“

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

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Podcast: Hockey on the Horizon

After a long, hot summer, the return of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey is just days away with training set to open this Thursday at the UPMC Lemieux complex in Cranberry. There will be just three days of practice for the Penguins before preseason action opens a week from today, September 21st, against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. There will the three more preseason games to follow before the regular season gets underway on September 30th with the Penguins heading across the state to take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

In preparation for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, The Skating Penguin Network, hosted by Robbie and Snail, dusted off the microphones and recorded their first (pre) preseason episode last week, catching up on some news from around the NHL.

Robbie and Snail discussed the ongoing trade request situations coming out of Detroit and Winnipeg, touched on the prospects challenge taking place this past weekend, talked training camp and the preseason, tried to figure out where summer went, and much more.

This was their first episode since July, meaning there was a lot of ground to cover even though it was a relatively quite summer from the Penguins and most of the NHL if we’re being honest.

With hockey season coming quickly, episodes will be dropping more frequently in the run up to the 2026-27 which begins at the end of the month. Once puck drops, Robbie and Snail will be back to a regular schedule of recapping games and covering any news surrounding the Penguins or hockey in general.

Below you will find a link to the show and all episodes that will be updated as they are published. This show is the rebranded Pensburgh podcast that went independent a few years ago and we appreciate all who listen and encourage any one else to jump on board for the new season.

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One statistical prediction for each member of the Celtics

Derrick White attempts a 3-pointer against the 76ers. | NBAE via Getty Images

September belongs to football. We all know that, and most of us are OK with it. 

But some of us – even those who love football, too – are counting down the days to basketball season. It’s never too early to look ahead and predict how this Celtics season could unfold. 

The goal here is to have a little fun and make some educated guesses that might be a bit outside the box or slightly unexpected. With that in mind, here is one statistical prediction for each player on the roster:

Jayson Tatum will have multiple regular-season triple-doubles.

It was the year of Jaylen Brown last year. Now, it’s the year of Jayson Tatum. He has five regular-season triple-doubles in his eight-plus-year career, but no regular season has featured more than one.

This year, he gets at least two (maybe even three or four). Tatum remains a criminally underrated rebounder and passer, and he’ll take those skills to another level this year with Brown gone.

Paul George plays in 57 or more games. 

I know, I know. Don’t jinx it. I’m sorry in advance. Paul George has had one of the more bizarre careers of this generation. Somewhere along the way, a lot of people forgot just how good he is at basketball. 

Is he the same George who tore it up in Indiana? Nope, but he’s still an excellent all-around player – as long as he’s on the floor. He’s only played 57-plus games once in the last seven seasons, but I’m going to predict that he does so this year. But no, you still shouldn’t draft him in your fantasy league.

Derrick White finishes with shooting splits of 43/38/86 or better.

Derrick White shot 46.1 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from 3-point range and 90.1 percent from the line in 2023-24. Obviously, that was a special team and he benefited from the talent around him, but I think last year was an outlier rather than a regression to the mean. He’s poised for a big bounce-back year as a shooter after seeing his percentages dip to 39.4 from the field and 32.7 percent from distance. 

You just know he’s been in the lab a little extra this summer, and I’m confident it will pay off in a major way this season. He flirts with 45/40/90 and doesn’t quite get it, but it’s still a major step in the right direction that has a ripple effect throughout the roster. White is probably the biggest X-factor for this team, and seeing him hit his shots provides a jolt and helps others do the same.

Payton Pritchard averages career highs in points, rebounds and assists per game.

Payton Pritchard’s scoring, rebounding and assist numbers have all increased every year since 2022-23, and there’s no reason to think that won’t be the case this year. Last year, he ended up at 17 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. I think 18.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds is a reasonable guess. Those aren’t quite all-star numbers, but they’re not far off. 

Neemias Queta makes his first career 3-pointer.

Neemias Queta is a fun player, so this one could go in a lot of different directions, but I think he’s going to surprise people this year with his mid-range shooting. All I want from him is the wherewithal and confidence to be able to turn to the basket and hit a free-throw-line jumper when defenses dare him to do so in the pick and roll. That slight shift in mindset will briefly translate to one 3 (maybe even two or three) in a magical moment for the Celtics and their fans. 

Sam Hauser shoots between 35 and 45 percent from 3-point range every month.

Sam Hauser ended up having a decent shooting season last year (not great by his very high standards, but still solid), but it was a bit of a wild ride to get there. He hit just 27.5 percent of his attempts in November, reached 45.1 for January, dipped to 33 percent in March, then hit 52.6 in six April games. This year is less erratic and more consistent, with nothing quite as high or quite as low.

Mitchell Robinson shoots 50 percent or better from the free-throw line.

The Celtics are truly excellent when it comes to player development, and I believe they’ll find some slight tweak to Mitchell Robinson’s motion that allows him to improve on his 40.8-percent mark from last year. He won’t suddenly become Steph Curry, but he’ll get to a point where he’s not as much of a liability and teams won’t be able to hack him without hesitation.

Baylor Scheierman averages at least 2.5 assists per game.

Baylor Scheierman is starting to get comfortable as a shooter, defender and glue guy. The next step for him is to return to the playmaking style he displayed in college. Scheierman averaged 3.6 assists in college, and I say he gets to 2.5 this year (compared to 1.5 last year) – even with the ball in his hands a lot less than it was at South Dakota State and Creighton.

Hugo González averages at least 1.3 steals per game.

He averaged 0.6 last year in just 14.6 minutes. It’s fair to assume his minutes will increase this year and the steals will increase naturally as well. Last year, 1.3 would have put him in the top 60 in the NBA, and I say he gets there this year.

Jordan Walsh has a game with at least 3 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals. 

I think Jordan Walsh is poised for a breakout season. He doesn’t get enough credit for his role last year, and I think he’ll start to get more this year as he continues to trend in the right direction. That will result in at least one game where he stuffs the stat sheet in every area. He came close to the feat last year, and this year he gets it done.

Ron Harper Jr. drops 30 at least once.

Ron Harper Jr. is capable of erupting on any given night. I think he’ll play regularly, but there will be a lopsided game this year where he goes nutty and hits 30. He came close with 27 in the regular-season finale last year, and this year I think he hits the mark.

Mike Conley Jr. shoots 40 percent or better from 3-point range.

This is an ideal setup for Mike Conley Jr., where he’ll get high-percentage looks as a result of the Celtics’ ball movement. All he has to do is knock them down, and I think he will at a very high clip with not much volume.

Luka Garza averages fewer than 2 fouls per game. 

Luka Garza fared admirably whenever his number was called, but it’s also clear his defense needs to improve to remain in the rotation with Robinson in the picture. This year, he cuts down on the fouls and averages fewer per game than he did last year (2.3). 

Amari Williams hits double digits multiple times. 

He came close last year. This year, he finds a way to get 10-plus points – not just once, but two or three times. It will be tough for Williams to get regular playing time with Queta, Robinson and Garza all ahead of him, but he proves he belongs and carves out more of a role than last season. 

Chris Cenac Jr. has a game with three-plus blocks.

Chris Cenac Jr. is better defensively than people think. He moves well for his size, has long arms and alters shots at the rim. I say he has a game this season where he swats a few shots and fires up the crowd.

Dillon Mitchell has at least three dunks that bring the house down. 

Dillon Mitchell can really get up and is a candidate for the Slam Dunk Contest down the road. He displays that skill in stretches this year and leaves fans in awe on multiple occasions. 

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MLB power rankings: Can Vlad Jr., Blue Jays wake up in time for playoffs?

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. achieved what started to look impossible. Can his Toronto Blue Jays follow suit?

The defending American League champions have underperformed all season, following the lead of their superstar and $500 million man, who, entering Sunday, Sept. 13, had not hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season – a 75-game power outage for a man who once hit 48 in a season.

But Guerrero got off the schneid with his first Canadian longball this season, the middle of back-to-back-to-back shots off Baltimore's Trevor Rogers that had the home crowd chanting his name and his teammates giddy with joy.

And now, after spending almost the entire season on the wrong side of .500, the Blue Jays are just one game out of a playoff berth and up to No. 13 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.

Just like Vladdy, who now has eight home runs this season, can the Blue Jays prove it's never too late?

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was feted by teammates Josh Smith and Myles Straw after hitting his first home run of the season at Rogers Centre.

They have a golden opportunity to make up ground this week, trailing the Cleveland Guardians by one game and the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox by 1½. Those two meet in a three-game series, while Toronto takes on the Detroit Tigers. Now 75-75, the Blue Jays haven't been two games above .500 since April 1, when they were 4-2.

If they can reach those "heights" in the final 12 games, a very unlikely playoff spot may be in the offing.

Here's a look at our updated MLB power rankings entering the week of Sept. 14:

1. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

  • Will clinch NL Central this week and should break franchise record for wins (97) next week.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

  • Edwin Diaz looking a lot closer to getting shut down than returning from rehab assignment.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

  • Victor Mesa (.845 OPS) gives them another power bat for the postseason.

4. Atlanta Braves (-2)

  • Never a bad week when you essentially clinch the division. But a first-round bye might be too much to ask.

5. New York Yankees (-)

  • Cam Schlittler closing in on Cy Young Award, but let's pump the brakes a tad on MVP talk.

6. Chicago Cubs (-)

  • Get a potential glimpse of playoff series with three games against Atlanta this week.

7. Boston Red Sox (+1)

  • Wiped the floor with the AL Central this year, going 19-9.

8. Philadelphia Phillies (-1)

  • Jesus Luzardo's shoulder inflammation is, at least for now, a significant concern.

9. San Diego Padres (-)

  • Jackson Merrill, 23, is a 25-25 man.

10. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)

  • Now three games behind the Padres; need to make sure that final-weekend series isn't simply a lottery ticket.

11. Chicago White Sox (-1)

  • Have held at least a share of first place in the AL Central since July 4. Will take a half-game lead into Cleveland.

12. Cleveland Guardians (-)

  • For the second consecutive year, they can seize control of division on last homestand.

13. Toronto Blue Jays (+2)

  • Dylan Cease in dead heat with Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski for major league strikeout lead.

14. Houston Astros (-1)

  • They still might win the AL West, but sweep at hands of Tampa Bay shows playoff stay might not be long.

15. Miami Marlins (-1)

  • Somehow won the season series against Dodgers.

16. St. Louis Cardinals (-)

  • Alec Burleson's majors-leading RBI total up to 109, most by a Cardinal since Paul Goldschmidt's 115 in 2022.

17. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

  • Back to .500. Can they pull off first winning season since 2018?

18. Texas Rangers (-1)

  • Trailing Houston by one game, homestand vs. Red Sox, Blue Jays will be challenging.

19. Baltimore Orioles (+1)

  • Starter Kyle Bradish shut down due to lower abdominal discomfort.

20. Minnesota Twins (+1)

  • Emmanuel Rodriguez makes long-awaited debut, homers in first at-bat.

21. Cincinnati Reds (-2)

22. Detroit Tigers (+1)

  • Jackson Jobe pitches into the seventh inning for first time.

23. Washington Nationals (-1)

  • Jorbit Vivas with go-ahead and game-tying hits in consecutive games.

24. Seattle Mariners (-)

  • Josh Naylor is, stunningly, 6-for-24 on ABS challenges, worst in the majors.

25. New York Mets (-)

  • Christian Scott's 3.76 ERA over 22 outings very good for initial year after Tommy John surgery.

26. Kansas City Royals (-)

  • Carter Jensen's 24th homer ties Bob Hamelin for Royals rookie record.

27. San Francisco Giants (-)

28. Athletics (-)

  • Shea Langeliers makes it back to Yolo County in impressive time after torn right meniscus repair in July.

29. Los Angeles Angels (+1)

  • Blew three leads in ugly sweep at Washington.

30. Colorado Rockies (-1)

  • On a 5-20 skid as 100 losses again looks like reality.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Can Vlad Jr., Blue Jays wake up in time for playoffs?

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Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez heads to IL for Pirates

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: Esmerlyn Valdez #55 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on September 09, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a move over the weekend, assigning rookie outfielder Esemerlyn Valdez to the 10-day IL with a hamstring injury sustained running to first base. The Pirates will bring outfielder Ronny Simon back from Triple A as a replacement. Simon was brought up last week but sent back down on Ryan O’Hearn’s return.

The 22-year-old Valdez has been a pleasant suprise this season for the Pirates, hitting .232 with 17 homers and 47 RBIs over 72 games played. But with just 14 games left in the season, we’ve likely seen the last of Valdez this year.

Simon has been having a great year at Indianapolis, hitting .334 with 7 homers and 72 RBIs, and he’s played in 10 games at the big-league level, going 9-for-35 (.282) on the season with 2 RBIs.

Until Valdez went down, the Bucs were finally looking mostly healthy again, and they responded by going 4-2 on their Chicago road trip. The team is back to .500 but still stand 5.5 games back of a Wild Card spot and are unlikely to make the playoffs.

The Bucs are off today but will return to action tomorrow when they start a three-game set at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. They then have two more series at home, with three each against the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals, before wrapping up the 2026 MLB season on the road against the Detroit Tigers. So finshing strong is still a possibility, but the playoffs only happen with a complete collapse of the teams in front of them.

So with Steelers season underway and off to a 1-0 start, the Bucs kept it interesting almost all the way until football season, and that’s more than we can say for years past.