Worldwide Sports News

September 24, 2026

There’s still a slight chance the Red Sox don’t play the Yankees in the Wild Card round

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 31: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park on August 31, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’ve spent much of the last week discussing how the Red Sox won’t be playing much baseball in Boston this weekend thanks to an impending nor’easter. But what if I were to tell you it’s also still possible (however unlikely) that they might not be playing much baseball in New York next week either?

Don’t worry, it’s not weather related this time. Instead, it’s because there’s still a bizarre, long shot scenario teetering at the edge of the table where the Red Sox could fall to the No. 6 seed in the American League.

At first glance, this seems impossible. At 85-73, Boston is four games clear of the White Sox with four to play, and even if the Red Sox were to lose out with the White Sox winning all of their remaining games, Boston also holds the head to head tiebreaker by virtue of their 6-0 record against the South Siders this season.

So, it’s over, right?

Wrong!

There’s still one monkey wrench that can flip the board, and that’s Cleveland’s presence. If the 82-76 Guardians win the rubber game at Fenway Park today and then also end up in a theoretical 85-77 tie with both pairs of Sox at the end of the weekend, all sorts of kooky stuff happens.

First of all, in a three-way tie scenario where one of the teams is not in the same division, the tie to determine that division (in this case the AL Central), takes precedent, and must be broken first. Well, guess what? The White Sox hold the tiebreaker over the Guardians, which means if the Red Sox end up tied with both of them, Chicago takes the division, leaving Boston to face off against Cleveland in the tiebreaker for the final seeding.

Right now, the Red Sox hold that tiebreaker over Cleveland thanks to their 3-2 head to head record. However, if the Guardians win today, that becomes 3-3, and the tiebreaker flips to the Guardians on interdivision record. In other words, Cleveland would go to the No. 5 seed, the Red Sox would land in Texas to play either the Astros or Rangers (whoever wins that wretched AL West division) as the No. 6, and Guardians would get shuffled all the way over to New York to play the Yankees.

On one hand, this is far fetched. But if you break it down piece by piece, it becomes one of those things that gets less and less ridiculous the more you look at it.

Let’s start with the Red Sox. They will be throwing Ranger Suarez today against Cleveland, who will counter with Daniel Espino. With the way Suarez has been throwing the ball the last few times out, that looks like a Boston win at first. But remember, the Sox used both Whitlock and Chapman last night, meaning they might not want to push them too hard and go there again today. Additionally, Suarez’ start is coming exactly five days before Game 1 of the Wild Card series, which means they’ll probably pull him after 75 or 80 pitches like they did with Sonny Gray on Wednesday.

Break it all down, and the Guardians are probably going to get a shot at the weaker part of the Red Sox bullpen they didn’t see today. Throw in Ceddanne Rafaela and Willson Contreras possibly not playing, and all of a sudden this becomes a hard game to predict.

From there, the Red Sox are likely going to play a double header against the Cubs on Friday, trying to get as many games in as possible before the nor’easter arrives. Well, as we’ve discussed all week, the Cubs are going to need those games as they fight for seeding in the NL Wild Card race. They enter play today one game behind the San Diego Padres for the top Wild Card billing. Meanwhile, the Red Sox will be done with the Payton Tolle / Sonny Gray / Ranger Suarez part of the rotation for the regular season and will probably be throwing Patrick Sandoval in one of these games. Is it really that hard to see the Cubs taking both ends of that double header?

Meanwhile, back in Chicago itself, the White Sox would need a sweep at home over the weekend to keep any chance of this crazy scenario alive. Well, guess what? They’re playing the Colorado Rockies. And not just the Colorado Rockies, but the Road Rockies. The worst team to ever do it!

Years ago, when I was over at Purple Row, I wrote about how the game is rigged against the Rockies, and how they face a literal competitive disadvantage because of a Coors Hangover Effect that happens when their hitters travel. On that note, the 2026 Road Rockies have been striaght trash! They’ve already been swept in 28 percent of their series this year, and have lost ten games in a row away from Coors Field. They’re so bad, they haven’t won a road game since August 26th!

The point here is that it’s not that hard to see how they could go into a rowdy atmosphere in Chicago this weekend and get their doors blown off. The White Sox are just one game behind the Guardians for not only the AL Central crown, but also for the No. 2 seed and a bye, so they will almost certainly be throwing all their resources at this race right down to the wire.

Of course, they also have to win their game in Kansas City this afternoon to even get this lunacy off the ground, but if they do that, you don’t have to squint too hard to see how this snowball might start running downhill. Again, all this silliness probably gets quashed in the net 36 hours by one of several candidates, but if we’re still sitting here on Saturday morning and the possibility of all this still alive, things will get really, really weird, really, really quick. And that’s before you throw in the weather with the Red Sox possibility waiting through days of rain to play Game their 162.

Can you imagine if they have to come back on Monday and play one last game against the Cubs and they can literally pick their path with a loss (through Texas and the AL Central winner) instead of having to go through New York and Tampa?

It’s nuts, and it would be nothing short of a bonkers scenario. But this is the 2026 Red Sox, and bonkers has kind of been the theme of the season. We’ve already seen some of the worst Red Sox baseball of all time at Fenway Park early in the season, a historic winning streak to fuel a remarkable turnaround, a team that has a penchant for playing well with plane problems, and now a huge nor’easter threatening to upend the schedule. If there was ever a year where something this daft might play out, wouldn’t it be this one?

Then again, Kansas City might beat the White Sox in a handful of hours and everything you just read will be rendered moot. Man I love wacky baseball!

September 24, 2026

Four Key Takeaways The Maple Leafs' Final Pre-Season Fixture Against The Senators

The Toronto Maple Leafs wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a split-squad affair with the Ottawa Senators, one played at Scotiabank Arena, and the other at Ottawa's Canadian Tire Center.

The Maple Leafs took both games, with a dominant 6-1 victory on home ice and a 4-2 win in the nation's capital. Here are the key takeaways from the evening, heading into the 2026-27 NHL regular season.

1. Dominant Offensive Performance

It's fair to say that it is pre-season, and while the Senators brought out to Scotiabank Arena Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, and others, it wasn't their strongest lineup.

Nonetheless, what was evident was Toronto's pressure in the offensive zone. On several occasions, the Maple Leafs hemmed the Senators in their own zone and moved the puck smoothly.

The shot totals ended up being 36-14 in favor of the Leafs, and the scoreboard correlated with that.

All areas of the lineup were chipping in, too. John Tavares, Jack Roslovic and Auston Matthews finished with three points, and to round out the top six, Gavin McKenna and William Nylander accumulated a plus-three rating and one assist each. Even Zack MacEwen had an impressive game, getting on the scoresheet as well.

Three Reasons Why Jim Hiller's Maple Leafs Are Completely Different Than Craig Berube'sJim Hiller is changing the way the Toronto Maple Leafs play, drastically. Here are three reasons why Hiller's team is completely different from Craig Berube's over the last two years.

2. Nick Paul Left Early With Injury

Going through training camp, the Maple Leafs were feeling pretty confident with their third line of Easton Cowan, Nick Paul and Colton Sissons. They believe to be capable of taking on some tough assignments and challenging the opposition's top players.

But one-third of that line left the game early in Toronto. Paul only had six shifts and played 4:42 of ice time on Wednesday. His issue remained undisclosed, but head coach Jim Hiller isn't too concerned about the severity of what kept Paul out for the rest of the outing.

"Yeah, we'll know tomorrow," he said after the game. "I don't think it's too serious. I talked to him after, but we'll know a little bit more tomorrow."

3. Matthew Knies 'Wasn't That Dangerous'

With everyone in the top six getting some sort of contribution on Toronto's six goals at Scotiabank Arena, Matthew Knies was left behind with no points to show for it.

His night ended with one shot on goal, an even plus-minus rating, and 17:48 of ice time. He was also held off the scoresheet in the Leafs' first pre-season game against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Knies also had just one shot on goal, as well as a minus-two rating with 20:22 of ice time.

Here is Hiller's assessment of Knies' camp so far.

"I thought he was better tonight," the head coach said. "He wasn't that dangerous. I think he only ended up with one shot on goal. Took one to the net. So I think this has been okay. I wouldn't say strongly one way or the other. I think there's more there for sure."

Why The Maple Leafs Placed A Pair Of Defensemen On NHL Waivers And More Roster MovesThe Toronto Maple Leafs have placed two defensemen on NHL waivers on Wednesday. On top of that, several others have been sent down to Toronto Marlies training camp, the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones, and the CHL.

4. Fisticuffs On The Road, Again

Toronto's first pre-season affair in Montreal saw a couple of fights at the Bell Centre, but that was topped on Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Four fights broke out in Toronto's win on the road. Landon Sim started fight night off with a scrap with Matthew Andonovski. Brendan Brisson challenged Sammy Blais after Blais laid a heavy hit on Nick Blankenburg, which got him shaken up. Then Brandon Duhaim fought Cameron Crotty 33 seconds into the final frame, and Sim found himself in his second tilt of the night to end the parade of fighting majors, dancing with Nick Cousins.

Behind the spotlight of the fighting in Ottawa, Henrik Rybinski scored his second goal of the pre-season to open the scoring.

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September 24, 2026

Ben Kindel, player development and line usage: Treat your third-line like another scoring line

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 01: Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) shoots the puck during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights on March 1, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

During his team’s run to the Stanley Cup back in 2015-16, then-Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan was asked a question about the play of his third line. At the time it consisted of Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin to form the vaunted HBK line.

I don’t remember who asked the question, or what the exact question was, what round it came in, or even the full answer from Sullivan.

All I remember from him was his somewhat sarcastic quip at the beginning of his answer that was simply: “Which line is the third line?”

There was an element of coach-speak to it, but the main point he was trying to get across was that he knew they had three scoring lines that could steamroll over teams, provide offense, and swing a game or series in their favor. He wasn’t in the mood to assign a classification to them, and didn’t see a difference in them. Even if one of them (the HBK line) was clearly third on the team’s depth chart behind the Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin lines.

He just saw his team as having three scoring lines.

He was right.

It is a mindset teams should go for whether they have that many future Hall of Famers on their team or not. It should be a mindset in terms of construction and playing style.

Most teams seem to be doing it to some degree if they are able to do it.

I bring this up because I can envision a scenario where the potential of a Ben Kindel, Andrei Kuzmenko and Bryan Rust line gets dissected in terms of where certain players are on the depth chart, as well as the potential playing styles that could be asked of them.

There was already plenty of talk last season as to whether or not Kindel should be playing on a third line and what that could mean for his development. The same thing was also applied to Ville Koivunen and whether or not it made sense to have him playing a bottom-six role, when he has more of a top-six skillset and “needs to play top-six minutes.”

There also might be some concern over Rust’s placement on such a line when he’s normally a top-six player, and whether or not Kuzmenko has the defensive approach to play there.

All of that is overthinking it.

Especially when you look at the way most NHL team’s distribute their forward ice-time.

It’s not necessarily a top-six vs. bottom-six approach.

It’s more of a top-nine vs. bottom-three approach.

I went back through every team’s even-strength forward ice-time usage during the 2025-26 season and looked at how it broke down among their top-three forwards (in theory, their first line) and each successive trio that followed. I limited it to forwards that played at least 40 games, and looked only at their even-strength ice-time per game.

This is by no means a perfect look at a team’s line construction.

Line combinations are very fluid and have a tendency to change, players get injured, players miss time, players get promoted and demoted, etc. etc. etc.

But it does give at least a ballpark idea as to how much certain players are playing and how often they are used.

While the top-three forwards typically stood out above the pack for each team, there was only a small difference between them and the second trio of players. There was virtually no difference between the second-and third-groupings.

That means the top-nine forwards were all playing a comparable amount of ice-time.

On average, the top-three forwards played around 15:20 of even-strength ice-time per game. The next trio played, on average, around 13:40 per game, which was only about 90 seconds less than the group above. The third trio played, on average, about 12:40 per game, which was only one minute less than the second trio.

If you assume each shift averages about 35-45 seconds, you’re only talking about a very small handful of shifts per game. Between the second-and third-lines it’s at most two shifts. In some cases it is only one shift.

If you’re playing everybody nearly the same amount, it only makes sense that you’re expecting the same level and style of play from them. And it’s not like the Penguins were ever asking the Kindel line, regardless of who his wingers were, to play any sort of simplified or chip-and-chase style.

They were asking them to play to their strengths and expecting them to push play and outscore their opponents.

It worked. It was successful. And it was a big part of the team’s regular season success.

It wasn’t until you got down to the fourth grouping of forwards, which averaged about 9:30 per game, about three minutes less per game than the third line, where teams started to see a big difference in usage.

That’s where you start getting into a different role and a different style of play due to a drop in skill.

Here’s a look at the full, team-by-team breakdown, sorted in order of most average ice-time by top-three forwards. This is, again, just even-strength ice-time.

Team	Top-3 Avg	Second-3 Avg	Third-3 Avg	Fourth-3 Avg
Edmonton Oilers	17.23	14.21	12.34	10.44
Winnipeg Jets	17.00	13.14	12.04	9.45
Colorado Avalanche	16.46	14.09	12.48	9.25
New Jersey Devils	16.44	14.44	12.45	9.36
Toronto Maple Leafs	16.17	14.16	12.17	10.07
Dallas Stars	16.14	14.00	12.10	9.56
New York Rangers	16.10	15.00	12.44	9.04
Minnesota Wild	16.03	14.07	12.18	10.06
San Jose Sharks	15.52	13.47	11.41	9.36
Chicago Blackhawks	15.46	14.00	13.14	11.10
Los Angeles Kings	15.45	14.54	12.16	10.18
New York Islanders	15.34	13.48	12.17	10.13
Vegas Golden Knights	15.34	14.03	12.50	10.23
Seattle Kraken	15.33	13.39	12.43	11.06
Montreal Canadiens	15.32	12.39	12.17	11.32
Tampa Bay Lightning	15.25	14.01	12.38	11.18
Columbus Blue Jackets	15.23	13.46	12.17	11.11
Pittsburgh Penguins	15.23	13.43	12.18	11.12
Nashville Predators	15.20	13.50	12.14	9.56
Philadelphia Flyers	15.18	13.38	12.19	10.02
Detroit Red Wings	15.17	13.55	12.38	10.19
Boston Bruins	15.11	13.09	12.13	10.30
St. Louis Blues	15.10	13.56	12.49	10.37
Washington Capitals	15.04	13.39	12.36	9.46
Utah Mammoth	15.03	14.03	13.12	10.45
Calgary Flames	14.55	13.51	13.00	9.47
Ottawa Senators	14.49	13.50	12.40	10.56
Vancouver Canucks	14.49	13.45	12.27	11.06
Florida Panthers	14.48	13.54	12.18	9.46
Buffalo Sabres	14.45	13.21	12.43	11.02
Anaheim Ducks	14.42	13.52	12.47	9.45
Carolina Hurricanes	14.24	13.50	12.53	10.39

Every team is different in terms of depth and how many good forward options they actually have, and some teams do need to lean on their top forwards more because they just don’t have enough good forwards to play as often.

Having enough good players matters in this exercise.

This Penguins team, even if it is lacking in prime-age, top-line superstar scorers, does have a lot of playable forwards, and it does have a lot of NHL forward depth.

Most teams were in the 14-16 minute range for their top-three, with a few exceptions and outliers at the top. Those were mostly teams that were extraordinarily top-heavy and had to rely more on their top-forwards. From there, literally every team was in the 13-14-minute range for the next three, and then the 12-13 minute range for the third group.

The fourth-lines, depending on the team’s depth, were in the 9-10 minute range.

So it gets back to my original point here of: Why can’t Ben Kindel or Ville Koivunen or Bryan Rust or Andrei Kuzmenko skate on your third line if they would play nearly as much in a second-line role? Or if they would be asked to play the same way? I don’t think that extra one or two shifts is making or breaking the development of the young players. It’s not limiting their long-term upside or putting a ceiling on them as a “third-line player.”

I also don’t think it’s changing the way you expect Bryan Rust or Andrei Kuzmenko to play.

It shouldn’t be doing any of that.

It is simply the way the roster sets up in this moment.

Where you start getting into major differences between the different groups of forwards and the different expectations offensively, from a big picture standpoint, is the special teams usage.

Who is getting power play time?

Who is getting first power play time vs. second power play time?

Who is getting shorthanded time as opposed to power play time?

That is where you start getting into different point totals, different offensive situations and where players separate themselves from a scoring perspective.

That is where the usage for a player like Kindel can be a little more scrutinized for his development. Is he getting those power play minutes? Is he getting opportunities with the first group? That is where his offensive game and point production can start to take big steps.

Don’t focus on where he sits on the pre-game line chart and whether it’s first line, second line, third line, line 2A or line 2B. If he, Rust and Kuzmenko show they have chemistry and can play together and outplay teams, let them do it. The same thing applies if it’s Nicholas Robertson instead of Kuzmenko. Or if it’s Ville Koivunen or Rutger McGroarty instead of Robertson or Kuzmenko.

If there is anything that is going to give this Penguins team a chance to be competitive this season it’s going to be their forward depth and the fact they do have the ability to roll three potential scoring lines. I don’t know how well any of those lines are going to actually defend, but the offense should be there. They should be leaning into that. I suspect they will. Just as they did a season ago.

September 24, 2026

Canadiens: The Final Four

After a day off on Tuesday, the Montreal Canadiens were back in action, and only two groups remained. Group A included the NHL players (Jacob Fowler is considered an NHL player here) and Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck, David Reinbacher, and Adam Engstrom. In contrast, Group B included players destined to play for the Laval Rocket or the Trois-Rivières Lions this season. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they’ve made it, but the youngster must see that as a positive sign.

However, coach Martin St-Louis downplayed the meaning of the four youngsters still being in Group A:

I think it was an opportunity to, you know, get some really good reps at the NHL pace, and I think that’s what we try to accomplish today. How they internalize that, I’m not sure; probably guys took it differently. For them, every day matters, no matter what group you’re in; there’s always an opportunity, and to me, it’s just that.

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Of course, it was put to the coach that the Habs currently have plenty of forwards on NHL contracts, and that could mean there are no surprises out of this camp, but he didn’t necessarily agree:

There are always surprises. Yes, contracts are part of it, but things can change. There are different ways to make room, but it always starts with the individual who must force our hand.

Clearly, it wasn’t the first time the coach said those words at camp because when Florian Xhekaj spoke to the media a few minutes later, he explained:

Yeah, they have a lot of guys here; obviously, I know that, and I mean, I don’t really care, in a sense, because I know I want to make the team, and everyone’s here to make the team. I think it’s like I’ve been saying: show up every day, show my skills, show what I bring and try to force their hand.

- Florian Xhekaj on being part of Group A

The younger Xhekaj certainly has the right attitude, and if some NHLers are too comfortable, he wants to unseat them. The question is, though, will the Habs brass be willing to make the moves to make it possible? That’s the real question. In two games so far, the power forward has certainly shown what he brings to the table and how the Canadiens could benefit from his presence, but the rest is out of his hands. He’s being realistic, though, and reminded members of the media that last year he got to this stage as well. He was still with the team when it went to Quebec City for an exhibition game.

As for those who found themselves in Group B, the coach remembers the days when he was in their shoes:

I definitely remember when they split teams, and I wasn’t on the NHL team, and you know, things can work out. Mentally, you’ve just got to be stronger than your feelings. It’s disappointing, but you've got to keep pushing; things can work out.

As for the fact that GM Kent Hughes said that he wouldn’t start the season with three goaltenders and that Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler and Samuel Montembeault are all in Group A, the coach said:

Monty’s been a pro; he was a pro last year. You know, when he didn’t see the net at the end of the season. Unbelievable teammate. He put a process in place this summer, and it’s been impressive to watch. He hasn’t forgotten how to play goal. Monty’s a really good goalie, and he’s had a strong camp so far.

Those comments lead to one conclusion: unless the Canadiens trade the Becancour native before the season starts, Fowler will likely have to go back to the AHL, even though he belongs in the NHL. According to the schedule provided to the media ahead of camp, there should be a scrimmage on Thursday, and that will be another opportunity for the young players to prove themselves and for the veterans to show why they deserve to keep their spot on the roster.

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September 24, 2026

Open Thread: The Spurs will play two sold out games in Europe this season

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 25: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans waits for the ball during the game on January 25, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It was inevitable that the NBA games being played overseas were going to sell out. Of course European basketball fans come out in droves to catch a glimpse of NBA stars. But what wasn’t a certainty was the demand for the tickets to the games.

The NBA Paris Game 2027 presented by Tissot and The NBA Manchester Game 2027 are officially sold out. Approximately one million fans registered their interest in tickets – the highest level of demand ever recorded for NBA games in Europe.

The New Orleans Pelicans and the San… pic.twitter.com/yfkDrJf9ei
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) September 22, 2026

“The NBA Paris Game 2027 presented by Tissot and The NBA Manchester Game 2027 are officially sold out. Approximately one million fans registered their interest in tickets – the highest level of demand ever recorded for NBA games in Europe.

The New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs will play regular-season games at Accor Arena in Paris, France, on Thursday, Jan. 14, and at Co-op Live in Manchester, England, on Sunday, Jan. 17, as part of the league’s multiyear slate of regular-season games in Europe. Both games will stream live on Amazon Prime Video.”

Yep, you read that right – a million fans registered for tickets. That’s like Taylor Swift Super Bowl Halftime Show type of demand. Understandably, fans are champing at the bit to watch Victor Wembanyama in person. He’s become a global superstar and the face of the NBA. Fresh off elevating his team into a Finals appearance, the world is clearly watching.

And if we’re being real, there’s not a million requests for a Spurs/Pelicans game on U. S. soil, especially considering the season New Orleans had.

It’s the destination that makes this an event. And if everyone is healthy, the games promise to be two heavy duty competitions featuring marquee centers.

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September 24, 2026

Shaikin: For the Dodgers, the varsity will take it from here

Teoscar Hernández singles during the game Wednesday, a game in which they had the 10 men you would expect to see start in Game 1 of the postseason in the lineup together for the first time. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

You can’t say the Dodgers didn’t give the rest of the National League West a chance.

It wasn’t a great chance, certainly. But consider this: The Dodgers spotted their division rivals 157 games before rolling out their varsity lineup.

The Dodgers clinched the division a week earlier. They still could win 100 games.

On Wednesday, with that preferred batting order making its season debut and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, the Dodgers fielded the 10 men you might well see in Game 1 of the playoffs next week.

Or, as the Dodgers might say, Opening Day.

The Dodgers can say their schedule starts in October, and their goal is for everyone to be healthy and effective then. But that presumption depends upon the supporting cast: the boys of summer that might never play come fall but must play well enough so that the stars can play postseason ball.

“It’s just the depth,” Freddie Freeman said.

Everyone has depth, to some degree.

“We’ve got really good guys that can cover guys when they get hurt,” Freeman said. “You’re going to go through injury bugs over the course of the year. It’s on people to step up. We’ve got some guys that are on the bench that can fill in.

“You have guys that can potentially be playing every day on some other teams.”

In April, Mookie Betts and Tommy Edman were on the injured list. By the time both men had come off the injured list, Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith were on it. By the time Hernández and Smith had returned, Andy Pages was on the injured list, soon to be followed by Shohei Ohtani.

Alex Freeland has more at-bats than Will Smith this season. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Rookie infielder Alex Freeland has more at-bats than Smith. In roughly the same number of at-bats, backup catcher Dalton Rushing has more home runs and a higher OPS than Smith, the starting catcher.

The Dodgers rank second in the majors in OPS.

Four Dodgers pitchers started at least 20 games, but Yamamoto is the only one projected for the playoff rotation. Emmet Sheehan and All-Star Justin Wrobleski each started more games than Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, combined.

Eric Lauer, who had won once in six starts for the Toronto Blue Jays, won six times in an eight-start stretch for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers rank fourth in the majors in earned-run average.

“We’ve had more injuries than we would have liked this season, but with that came opportunities for guys that gained a lot of valuable experience,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.

“Now, going into October, we feel like we have a chance to have a roster as representative of the talent level we have as you can reasonably expect.”

The Dodgers buy depth, right?

“I won’t say anything about that,” Friedman said.

Miguel Rojas is hitting .269 with great defense this season. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

They buy everything else. And what other team would spend a combined $10 million on utilitymen Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas?

How about the farm system? The Dodgers traded three prospects for Tarik Skubal, the best player available at the trade deadline, and the league website nonetheless ranks the Dodgers’ farm system as the best in all the land.

So, we’ll ask again: What about buying depth?

“Obviously, we have a very high payroll,” Friedman said, “but I think leaving it at that diminishes the incredible work that our scouts, our baseball ops, our player development, our Latin American scouts — our entire department — and the success they’ve had in their respective areas, and how it’s all come together.

“I think it really minimizes it in a way that’s not fair to excellent people doing excellent work.”

That excellent work includes 97 wins, so far, from the 53 men to play for the Dodgers this season. On Wednesday, finally, the Dodgers had their A team: Freeman, Edman, Betts and Max Muncy starting in the infield; Teoscar Hernández, Pages and Kyle Tucker in the outfield; Smith at catcher; Yamamoto at pitcher; and Ohtani at designated hitter.

One of the charms of baseball is a cliche: Anything can happen — in a single game or in a short series. The Dodgers lost to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. The A team is 0-1 this season, with October to go.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

September 24, 2026

Phillies News: Postseason, Matt Klentak, Brad Lidge

Sep 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (28), second baseman Luis Arraez (4), second baseman Bryson Stott (5) and shortstop Trea Turner (7) celebrate win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Phillies will have to play at least one more game before they can officially punch their ticket to the postseason. Last night’s brutal showing with runners in scoring position made sure of that. But today is another great day to clinch.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

Tuesday’s win provided a possible blueprint of what the Phillies postseason strategy will be. ($)
The Brewers being in town means so is former GM Matt Klentak. He sat down with Phillies Extra to discuss acquiring some of the key pieces of this current Phillies team as well as Milwaukee’s pursuit of Tarik Skubal.($)
You know Brad Lidge from his perfect 2008 season as the Phillies closer. You may not know that now he is an accomplished archeologist. A fascinating Q&A with the former relief ace. ($)

MLB news:

A forecasted nor’easter this weekend is already wreaking havoc on the scheduling of three games at Fenway Park with crucial postseason implications for the National League.
Shohei Ohtani returned to the lineup last night as his health looms like a specter over the NL postseason field.
Who are some players about to play in their first postseason that could end up going down as heroes?

September 24, 2026

Orioles news: O’s sweep doubleheader, stave off elimination

Sep 23, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles players celebrate after Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

It’s Sept. 24 and the Orioles are, technically, still alive in the postseason race. Will wonders never cease?

The Orioles’ elimination number remains at 1 after a productive Wednesday in which they swept a doubleheader against the Blue Jays to close out their Camden Yards schedule for 2026. Combined with a White Sox loss in Kansas City, it remain mathematically possible for the Orioles to claim the third wild card spot. All they need is to sweep their final series at Yankee Stadium while the White Sox lose every remaining game against the Royals and Rockies. Oh, and also the Orioles would have to leapfrog whichever of the Rangers and Astros doesn’t win the AL West.

Simple, right? Might as well start printing the playoff tickets now.

OK, OK, I get it. It’s not happening. The O’s will be eliminated, possibly as soon as tonight. But it’s nice that they didn’t have to suffer that ignominious fate in front of their home fans. They played a pair of well-played games — and officially knocked the defending AL champion Blue Jays out of playoff contention — to end their home season on a high note. Check out Mark Brown’s recap of the opener and Tyler Young’s write-up of the nightcap.

The twin bill demonstrated what the 2026 season could have looked like for the Orioles if they’d been clicking all year. The O’s got some effective starting pitching performances from unlikely sources, especially Trey Gibson, who tossed the finest outing of his major league career with 6.2 shutout innings. Their bullpen was solid, with six different relievers delivering scoreless outings. And Pete Alonso did Pete Alonso things, crushing his 41st home run and later leading the entire O’s team onto the field to acknowledge the fans before they left town for the year.

The Orioles ultimately are going to come up short for a litany of reasons that we don’t need to rehash here, but they’ve got a chance to finish the season at .500 if they take all three games from the Yankees this weekend. If not, they can at least try to sustain their recent competent play and hopefully bring some positive momentum into the 2027 season, whenever it might begin. For now, that will have to do.

Links

Holliday to undergo surgery on left wrist; Basallo to concussion IL – MLB.com

The Orioles’ two youngest players saw their disappointing 2026 seasons come to an end. If there’s any hope for a turnaround next season, it’s guys like this who are going to need to take a step forward.

Kyle Goon: The threat of a lockout looms over 2027. But in home finale the Orioles spark positive thinking. – The Baltimore Banner

The possibility of having games wiped out in 2027 is upsetting for so many reasons, not the least of which is: what the heck am I going to do with my time? Are you telling me I’m supposed to get another hobby? Get outta here with that.

Is it too late for the O’s to re-sign Trevor Rogers beyond this season? – Steve Melewski

It’s not too late until Rogers puts pen to paper with another team. Which might not happen for a while, considering the aforementioned lockout.

Would an Orioles general manager under Elias have autonomy? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

I can venture a guess. The O’s have gone more than a year (and counting) without bothering to fill the GM role, so it sure seems like it’s not something Elias values highly.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Five former Orioles were born on this day, including Rafael Palmeiro (62), one of the most prolific sluggers in O’s (and MLB) history. Palmeiro had two stints with the Birds in his 20-year career, hitting 223 of his 569 major league homers as an Oriole. He would be in the Hall of Fame if not for, well, you know. Happy birthday, Raffy.

Other former Orioles with Sept. 24 birthdays include infielders Travis Ishikawa (43), Jesse Garcia (53), and Kevin Millar (55), and the late outfielder Curt Motton (b. 1940, d. 2010).

On this date in 2000, Orioles ace Mike Mussina pitched a masterpiece in what turned out to be his penultimate start in an O’s uniform. Mussina dominated the Red Sox at Fenway, throwing seven scoreless innings and racking up an eye-popping 15 strikeouts without walking a batter. The Orioles managed to get him a win by scoring a run in the top of the eighth on Gene Kingsale’s sac fly, and closer Ryan Kohlmeier escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth to secure the 1-0 victory.

Random Orioles game of the day

On Sept. 24, 1984, the Orioles won two games for the price of one, sweeping a doubleheader against the Yankees at Memorial Stadium. Mike Boddicker led an easy 8-1 victory in the opener with a complete game, scattering 10 hits — all singles — and allowing only one run. The O’s also had 10 hits but turned them into eight runs, with John Shelby, Gary Roenicke, and Mike Young all homering.

In the nightcap, the Orioles pulled off a thrilling come-from-behind victory, scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth to erase a 6-2 deficit. An error by Yankees reliever Jay Howell opened the floodgates for a Roenicke RBI single and a Benny Ayala three-run homer. Cal Ripken also homered in the game. Reliever Nate Snell worked a scoreless eighth and ninth for the victory. The doubleheader sweep gave the O’s and Yanks identical 83-73 records, though both had long since been eliminated from the AL East race.

September 24, 2026

Cavs season preview: Tyrese Proctor – More important than you think?

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 19: Tyrese Proctor #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates making a three-point basket during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Arena on December 19, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a vacancy in their depth chart, and Tyrese Proctor might develop into the backup point guard they need to address it.

Given Cleveland’s offseason moves, which include trading both Max Strus and Dennis Schroder, the team will need someone who can handle the ball off the bench. As of now, Proctor is one of a few young guards jockeying for the position.

Craig Porter Jr. and rookie Meleek Thomas are his (friendly) competition. We’ll talk more about them as our season previews continue. For now, we’re all about Proctor.

Proctor was drafted 49th in the 2025 NBA Draft and enters his sophomore season with Cleveland. He played 50 games last year, averaging 5.4 points on 41.3% shooting from the floor. Nothing overly impressive, but he showed enough to make you wonder what might come next.

This leads us to our big question:

What would it take for Proctor to cement himself as Cleveland’s backup point guard?

A perfect fit, on paper

Proctor theoretically has all of the skills you’d want from a modern combo guard.

He has positional size at 6’4” and is comfortable playing with or without the ball. He’s got solid jump-shot mechanics and the physical tools to become a quality team defender. All of which makes him comfortable playing alongside anyone.

Yall don’t wanna see sophomore year Tyrese Proctor. pic.twitter.com/g5bh8iuNvh
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) February 5, 2026

Versatility is a good skill to have. But it’s even more important in Cleveland, where the star-studded backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will bury anyone who can’t play alongside them.

Proctor’s game pairs well next to either Harden or Mitchell.

With Harden, you need to space the floor and serve as a threat to knockdown jumpers. Proctor can check that box. He has experience playing without the rock and projects to be someone who can eventually nail jumpers at a high clip.

If paired with Mitchell, then Proctor has to lean into being a floor general. This means running the offense and being a creator. This skill is less refined, as of now, but something that’s still potentially in the cards for Proctor.

Above all else, Proctor has to put the full package together by being a stout defender at the point of attack. Covering for Harden and Mitchell defensively is arguably more important than coexisting with them offensively.

Proctor again seems to be the type of player who can accomplish this.

Doing so would not only make Proctor a contributor throughout the regular season, but also someone who can help stagger lineups in the playoffs.

Of course, this all has to be proven first.

Hurdles to clear

Proctor has shown flashes of everything that I listed above. But the full picture remains unclear. He’ll have to clear a few hurdles before officially being in the rotation.

So what’s holding him back?

For starters, his inexperience. Proctor is only 22 years old and hasn’t had much time in the league. Many of his minutes came in garbage time last season, and his most valuable reps were short-lived. That doesn’t give us a lot to work with.

Even with the limited sample size, it’s clear that Proctor has room to grow. All of his most exciting skills remain as untapped potential.

His jumper looks sweet, but he only shot 35% from deep last season. That won’t be good enough. Proctor will need to be closer to 40% for this to be the skill that he hangs his hat on.

On defense, Proctor seems like he can develop into a productive player. But how impactful can he be on a nightly basis? Can he fortify the point of attack? And can he make the correct rotations to fit into a team system? Consistency will be key.

Finally, what more can Proctor give as a creator?

He isn’t an elite dribbler or passer. Those skills feel tertiary right now — they aren’t at the core of his game. Creating advantages and causing defensive breakdowns will be the skill that ultimately determines Proctor’s ceiling.

Proctor’s sophomore season shouldn’t be sink or swim. He still has years of development on the table. But piecing some things together and being part of Cleveland’s rotation should be a serious goal for him. He might not get a clearer path towards playing time than this current season.

September 24, 2026

Don Cooper: 1956-2026

CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 27: Interim manager and pitching coach Don Cooper of the Chicago White Sox talks to a coach during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at U.S. Cellular Field on September 27, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. — IYKYK: Don Cooper as White Sox manager, 2011. | (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Most fans are aware of both the legend and the reality of Chicago White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper. And we as White Sox fans have committed so much of him to memory, most prominently “Coop’ll fix ’em” and the four straight complete games that polished off the 2005 ALCS.

So recounting his resumé is not the objective here, although I’d be remiss not to at least mention that the dominant 2005 rotation was largely of his making, from tutoring Mark Buehrle on his way up to the majors to creating the force that was Jon Garland to looking under the hood and tweaking the engines of Orlando Hernández, Freddy García and José Contreras to unleash their bewildering stretch of greatness on baseball’s biggest stage.

During my relatively brief time writing for and covering the White Sox — nearly Cooper’s entire, uncommonly-long 18-year tenure as pitching coach — I rubbed elbows with him, and get to know him a bit. So this is not an obituary, but a remembrance.

Three snapshots really stand out to me when remembering the man, and the first is not a pleasant one.

In Toronto in late May, anticipating soon having six starters to fit into five rotation spots, I’d written that Mark Buehrle could be the White Sox starter to take a short shift in the pen. Not should, but based on a slow start to the season, Buehrle’s consummately-amenable nature, and the fact that any “demotion” to the pen would last a turn or two before inevitable injury struck down one of the six starters, could.

When Coop saw me in the clubhouse, he was mad. Clutching a copy of my feature, he undercut me with defense after defense of Mark, All-Star this and Opening Day starter that. Was Don wrong? Of course not. Was he taking a spec piece probably intended to provide off-day copy by a writer interested in throwing ideas out there to see what stuck and perhaps blinded enough by a 5.12 ERA to miss a 3.88 FIP a bit too seriously? I … think so?

Honestly in the moment I felt both pride that Don was reading me, given that part of the them vs. us nature that pervades a clubhouse is the team pantomime that writers covering the team are not part of the White Sox “us,” nor can they pay enough attention to any one of us as to influence any decision-making. But also, there was bemusement that my feature had gotten him so riled. From there, with the knowledge that the White Sox were acknowledging me as a voice to reckon with, I could be a little more mindful of corralling my wildest ideas — but also take advantage of the existence of a wider communication pipeline that had opened, not just with players but Ozzie Guillén and his staff.

Rewind to 2010, and a trading deadline that saw the White Sox nab Edwin Jackson from the Arizona Diamondbacks, a pitcher everyone and his uncle knew was a key chip to flip to Washington to acquire GM Ken Williams’ most desired target for the second half, Adam Dunn. While the drama surrounding Nats GM Mike Rizzo upping his demands at the last minute and Williams’ colorful disgust over Rizzo’s unprofessionalism, Cooper steered us to another scoop.

The dugout was white-hot with front office disgust and true limbo for Jackson, by then already an MLB journeyman on his way to residence on a record 14 different teams, when Don tapped me and ESPN’s Doug Padilla out from the dugout and onto the infield for an impromptu hype session. With rapture in his eyes, Cooper explained how he knew he could “solve” mechanical issues that were keeping Edwin down in his career (earlier that very summer, EJax had thrown a very wild no-hitter, epitomizing his incredible potential and aggravating reality all in one start). Knowing Coop had already worked his magic with several pitchers on the South Side, both Doug and I came away convinced that the best days of Edwin Jackson were ahead. (And real talk, Jackson’s 30 starts in Chicago from trading deadline 2010 to deadline 2011 were worth 4.2 WAR, by far the best stretch of his 17-year career in the majors.)

But truly, my core memory of Don Cooper was sitting in the visitor’s dugout at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, water lapping at our ankles during one of those infamous torrents tearing through the middle of our country. Our conversation had started on the dugout steps, the game already delayed by drizzle, and as the drops pelted more aggressively we chose not to tear off and into the clubhouse or press box, but shift to the bench, and continue talking. I am not certain why that happened; perhaps as I was a relative newcomer to the White Sox beat Don was curious to get to know me, but I don’t think that was the case. It was two guys, just interested in talking for a while.

Recorder off, notepad mostly unscribbled, we had a casual conversation that likely started with me trying to mine Don for “all” of his pitching guru secrets but mostly spun into talk of family (inside the clubhouse and out) and distant career aspirations. Knowing of many pitchers/pitching coaches who successfully managed, as well as his impeccable reputation at the time, I brought up the topic of managing in the majors. Truly, my feeling was that it was only a matter of time, if Don wanted it, before he left Chicago to move into managing at Triple-A or straight into the majors; I was resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be a White Sox coaching lifer. And Don did confirm, in a modest way, that he had considered it, and remained curious to see whether his leadership of arms could extend to stewardship of a full roster.

How interesting it turned out to be that by the end of 2011, his first (and as it turned out, only) managerial opportunity was with the White Sox, after Ozzie Guillén abandoned the team for Miami and right-hand man Joey Cora was then instructed to pack his bags as well. Not once thinking I was going to help spur Don into raising his hand for the interim gig by texting him “now’s your chance” and encouraging him to make sure the White Sox knew he wanted to be considered for the top job in 2012, that was in fact what happened.

Of course, Don’s response to that text, well remembering the encouragement I’d given him to aim higher during our damp dugout discussion months earlier: “Who is this?”

Always joking, always keeping it loyal, always keeping those outside of the 25 in the clubhouse on their toes.

Baseball, and especially those who were lucky enough to experience the sport through your eyes and words, will miss you, Don.

September 24, 2026

Ranking MLB's best lineups for 2026 playoffs: Who's built for October?

The Chicago Cubs scored more runs than anyone in baseball this year and their offense is still the strongest in the field by both raw production and park-adjusted numbers. Even with Alex Bregman questionable after taking a foul ball to the face.

Milwaukee has the best record in baseball, but fewer home runs than any other team playing in October, and by a wide margin.

The Yankees have as much raw power as anyone in this field, and none of it will matter much if Aaron Judge isn't healthy enough to be in the lineup, and right now, there's no guarantee he will be.

The Dodgers have more star power in one lineup than anyone else in the sport, if Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Kyle Tucker are all healthy by the time it matters, which right now, they aren't.

And Houston might have the single best hitter of any team in this field, Yordan Alvarez, an MVP candidate having one of the best seasons in baseball, attached to a team still fighting just to make the playoffs.

1. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs led all of baseball in runs scored heading into the final week, with the best raw production and the best park-adjusted offense in the entire playoff field. Pete Crow-Armstrong is having an MVP-caliber season, hitting around .280 with 40-plus home runs, stolen bases and elite center field defense. Seiya Suzuki has been a steady power threat in the middle of the order all year. Bregman, one of the lineup's most productive hitters, uncertain at least for the wild-card series after suffering multiple facial fractures on a foul ball on Sept. 20. He's hopeful to play in the final weekend, but even a return for the NLDS if the Cubs advance would be remarkable. Even missing a piece of its lineup for at least the first round, this remains the most complete offense of the 13 teams playing in October.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers rank second in both raw production and park-adjusted offense, but the number that matters most right now is how many of their best hitters have played healthy together lately. Shohei Ohtani, having an MVP-caliber year at the plate, has been on the injured list with a right biceps issue since Sept. 8, with his return timeline still uncertain. Will Smith broke his hand on a foul tip and is doubtful for the rest of the regular season. Kyle Tucker, brought in on a massive free agent contract, has struggled this season and now has a knee contusion. Mookie Betts missed time early with an oblique injury and struggled out of the gate before rebounding over the second half. Freddie Freeman has hit well most of the year, but the Dodgers have been managing a knee issue with occasional rest days down the stretch. If the Dodgers get their top hitters back in the same lineup or October, it can be the best in baseball. If they don't, it's a different story.

3. Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee's lineup produces, ranking second among the league leaders in runs scored. What it doesn't do is hit home runs. The Brewers have the fewest as a team of any of the 13 playoff contenders, and by a wide margin. That's not a new problem. It's the same offense that got exposed in a four-game NLCS sweep last October, when the Brewers scored one run a game, and hit .118, the lowest average in a postseason series of at least three games in MLB history. Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang are legitimate table-setters, both with real power and on-base skills. Christian Yelich has been streaky but he caught fire in September. A league-best record covers for a lot. It hasn't fixed the power problem that ended last October.

4. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have the best team batting average in baseball at .259, but their power ranks in the bottom half of the league. Junior Caminero is the exception, a legitimate star with well over 40 home runs and one of the better OPS marks on the roster. Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda round out a solid top of the order. The bottom of the lineup is where this offense breaks down. Taylor Walls has struggled to get on base all year, and Jorge Mateo has been overmatched at the plate since Tampa Bay acquired him in August. A contact-oriented, low-strikeout approach has carried this offense to the best record in the American League. It won't matter is the bottom third of the order can't produce a run in October.

5. Houston Astros

Houston's raw numbers are strong, ranking among the top half of these 13 teams without the park inflation that flatters some of the offenses ranked above it. Yordan Alvarez is a legitimate MVP candidate, hitting over .300 with 40-plus home runs and one of the best OPS marks in the sport. Isaac Paredes and Jeremy Pena have both had solid seasons at the plate. The lineup's depth thins out fast beyond that group, and Carlos Correa's season-ending ankle surgery didn't help. Houston is fighting Texas for the AL West with the season almost over.

6. Boston Red Sox

Fenway Park is a good fit for hitters, and Boston's offense shows it. What looks like a top-half offense turns into almost exactly league average once the park adjustment strips it down. Willson Contreras, one of the best hitters on the roster, is the real deal regardless of ballpark. Wilyer Abreu has added real power to the lineup. Roman Anthony, one of the sport's top young players, missed nearly four months with a wrist injury and only returned in late August, a wild card for October readiness. Last year's trade that sent Rafael Devers to San Francisco left this lineup without a true middle-of-the-order force, and a full season and an offseason later, Boston still hasn't fully replaced it. Boston made the playoffs with this offense. It never got better than league average doing it.

7. Atlanta Braves

Matt Olson has been the engine for Atlanta all year, with 40-plus home runs and one of the better OPS marks on the team, but the offense around him tells a story similar to Boston's, a below league average unit once you adjust for park effects. Austin Riley is having down year following abdominal surgery, a real drag in the middle of the order. Ronald Acuna Jr. missed large chunks of the season to hamstring injuries but has been red hot in September. Atlanta clinched the division anyway. A below-average offense with a struggling third baseman doesn't leave much room for error once October starts.

8. New York Yankees

The Yankees have real thump, one of the best home run totals among these 13 teams, and among the best walk rates, and they built it largely without a healthy Aaron Judge. He fractured a rib in early June and didn't return until mid-September, then lasted barely a week before landing back on the injured list Sept. 18 with a right calf strain, an injury to the soleus muscle that's especially hard to play through. He's expected to miss the wild card series, maybe longer, with no guarantee he's back at all this postseason. Ben Rice has emerged as a legitimate offensive engine on his own and this lineup has already proven for most of the season is can produce without Judge in it. Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are complementary pieces, not lineup-carriers, and how much longer this offense can keep doing it without its best hitter is the real question entering October.

9. Chicago White Sox

Chicago's lineup is solid without being special, a bit above league average overall. Miguel Vargas and Chase Meidroth are both legitimately good complementary pieces. Colson Montgomery supplies real power, but strikes out more than almost anyone in the American League and was hit on the wrist by a pitch this month, his status uncertain for the stretch run, This offense performs about the same against left-handed and right-handed pitching, a rare balanced trait, but it doesn't have a true middle-of-the-order star to build around. A wild-card spot secured mostly on pitching and defense means this lineup will need to be better than its regular-season numbers suggest.

10. Texas Rangers

Texas ranks near the bottom of these 13 teams in raw production, though the underlying quality is a little better than the raw numbers show. The bigger issue is the profile, a high strikeout rate and a low walk rate, the kind of free-swinging approach that can get exposed against good bullpens. Corey Seager is a shell of the hitter he was a year ago after multiple injury absences. Marcus Semien is gone, traded to the Mets for Brandon Nimmo, a step down offensively. Josh Jung and Justin Foscue have picked up some of the slack. A division lead built mostly on pitching now has to hold up with a diminished lineup behind it.

11. San Diego Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill give this lineup a genuine top of the order, both with real power and speed. The raw numbers actually undersell this offense a little once you adjust for pitcher-friendly Petco Park. Manny Machado is in real decline, his power intact but his contract and on-base skills collapsed. The bigger problem is depth. Luis Rengifo tore his ACL, Gavin Sheets and Ramon Laureano have both been out for weeks, and San Diego is filling its bench with September call-ups. Fighting for the final postseason spots, this offense doesn't have much margin to make up for its own injuries.

12. Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have gone from a top-10 power team through July to one of the coldest in baseball since August, a real, documented power collapse. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, among the leaders in home runs, remain excellent. Trea Turner has been a different problem all together, mired in one of the worst slumps of his career the last few weeks. A team that spent most of the summer near the top of the National League in offense is now clinging to the last wild-card spot with a lineup that's cooling off at the worst time.

13. Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland's full-season numbers are the worst of any team in this ranking. The Guardians have been genuinely better lately, an above-average offense since early August, led by a resurgent Steven Kwan. Jose Ramirez, normally the offense's best player, is having the worst year of his career since returning from a hamate fracture. Cleveland is in first place on pitching and defense. A better recent stretch doesn't erase a season of being one of the least productive offenses in baseball.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking MLB's best lineups for 2026 playoffs: Who's built for October?

September 24, 2026

NBA power rankings as training camps open for 2026-27 season: Who will compete for Finals?

It’s that time of the year.

A hectic NBA offseason full of blockbuster trades and player movement has concluded as training camps have started to slowly open. Teams playing international preseason games are already reporting to camps. Practices will soon follow, and then preseason games, and soon enough we will be tipping off the regular season openers in a month.

This also means that it’s time to turn the page on last season. So while the New York Knicks are indeed the reigning NBA champions, every team is starting with a clean slate, and last year’s results really don’t matter all that much. It’s all about who is set up to win the 2027 NBA Finals.

With NBA training camps opening within the next week, here are the USA TODY Sports NBA preseason power rankings:

NBA offseason power rankings: Nos. 30-21

30. Milwaukee Bucks, 32-50 (regular-season record in 2025-26)

What will life look like post-Giannis? Probably some early pain, but Milwaukee will need to see which of its young players are pieces for the long haul.

29. Sacramento Kings, 22-60

Sacramento still seemingly lacks a clear direction. It's not quite building for the future or in position to compete. And perimeter defense is still projected to be a nightmare.

28. Brooklyn Nets, 20-62

Julius Randle adds another veteran presence to a roster that badly needs it, but the Nets won’t compete unless young, recent draft picks take serious steps forward.

27. New Orleans Pelicans, 26-56

Another team that doubled down on its current roster construction, the Pels could take a jump … but they need health and cohesion to do so. And those, right now, are big ifs.

26. Memphis Grizzlies, 25-57

It’s a new day in Memphis, with culture-shifting moves now complete. This youth movement may take some time.

25. Los Angeles Clippers, 42-40

Now with the Kawhi Leonard drama behind them, the Clippers can move forward. But because they’ve been stripped of draft picks, it could be years before this team seriously competes in a tough Western Conference.

24. Washington Wizards, 17-65

The Wizards could see a bump this season, but they’re unconventionally constructed. A lot will depend on Trae Young and Anthony Davis, and whether they can complement the rising stars on the roster, namely No. 1 overall selection AJ Dybantsa and Alex Sarr.

23. Dallas Mavericks, 26-56

It’s Cooper Flagg’s team, and a full season of growth and stability at point guard with Kyrie Irving returning should elevate his game even further.

22. Charlotte Hornets, 44-38

The Hornets are a little tricky to interpret and project. They posted something of a breakout season last year, but traded away two of their top performers, LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, in culture-shifting moves. They’re all-in on shooting, but they could potentially see a regression if attempts don’t drop.

21. Golden State Warriors, 37-45

The Warriors had a stagnant offseason, but they still have Stephen Curry, and Jimmy Butler should eventually return from his torn anterior cruciate ligament. Load management will be crucial for this team full of aging vets.

NBA offseason power rankings: Nos. 20-11

20. Chicago Bulls, 31-51

This is a team that could surprise. New coach Tiago Splitter should inject plenty of speed and versatility into Chicago’s offense, which is suddenly balanced with Norman Powell offering some scoring punch, Josh Giddey anchoring creation and No. 4 overall rookie Caleb Wilson potentially emerging as a star.

19. Portland Trail Blazers, 42-40

What this team needs is stability. Three different coaches since the start of last season is not a recipe for success. But the Blazers are looking to revive the career of Ja Morant and Damian Lillard is a veteran presence.

18. Utah Jazz, 22-60

The Jazz are no longer in tank formation and have an intriguing blend of young talent and veteran leadership. Utah is a candidate to post the biggest differential in wins this year versus last, and No. 2 overall selection Darryn Peterson should bring plenty of play-making.

17. Phoenix Suns, 45-37

The Suns are flying under the radar and will hope to see the full benefits of a Devin Booker-Jalen Green backcourt, now that Green is once again healthy.

16. Orlando Magic, 45-37

New coach Sean Sweeney’s main task will be to revitalize an offense that struggled at times to cohere with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as its stars. Consistency with perimeter shooting is also paramount.

15. Atlanta Hawks, 46-36

Atlanta was the biggest surprise in the East last season. Now with an identity and core in place, a bump in perimeter scoring could be the key to go even further.

14. Indiana Pacers, 19-63

The team to watch here is the Pacers. They’re returning Tyrese Haliburton, will have Ivica Zubac anchoring the middle and should be plenty motivated. They could even rise to the top of the conference if coach Rick Carlisle allows the offense to flow with pace and efficiency.

13. Detroit Pistons, 60-22

They led the East in the regular season but collapsed in the playoffs because Cade Cunningham simply didn’t have help on offense. It doesn’t help that Jalen Duren’s contract dispute is stretching this deep into the offseason.

12. Toronto Raptors, 46-36

Toronto feels like a team that could creep into the top third of the East if Kawhi Leonard stays healthy. He and Scottie Barnes create an intriguing duo that excel on both offense and defense.

11. Cleveland Cavaliers, 52-30

The Cavaliers’ addition of Peyton Watson boosts their chances, but this feels like the last shot for this build to prove it can compete for a championship. The Cavs finally got out of the second round of the postseason but were swept in the conference finals. With jobs on the line, perhaps even including coach Kenny Atkinson’s, that alone won’t be enough.

NBA offseason power rankings: Top 10

10. Boston Celtics, 56-26

The Celtics took a calculated gamble. But there’s no way to spin that Jaylen Brown is a massive loss, even if Boston didn’t want to pay him long-term. Either way, the Celtics need Derrick White to bounce back from his down season.

9. Denver Nuggets, 54-28

Strapped for salary cap space, the Nuggets had to make some difficult choices. Losing Peyton Watson will sting, but Denver looked slow and old during the playoffs, when it was bounced in the first round. The Nuggets absolutely need Christian Braun to bounce back and players like Spencer Jones and Cameron Johnson to develop further. This is a window to win that may be shrinking — and quickly.

8. Miami Heat, 43-39

The defense will be the identity and the Heat should continue their emphasis of fast-break offense. But any time you add a top-10 player (top-5?) there are plenty of reasons to be excited. No team has been better at reinventing itself on the fly than the Heat, who have one of the game’s premier tacticians in Erik Spoelstra.

7. Los Angeles Lakers, 53-29

It’s now Luka Dončić’s team, and Austin Reaves will be the clear No. 2. But can the role players provide enough of a spark to keep the Lakers competitive?

6. Houston Rockets, 52-30

The Rockets are an interesting case; they’re getting Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back from injury, and VanVleet is the key piece. Houston could not find consistent play at point guard, and he should fill that void instantly.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves, 49-33

Credit the Timberwolves for understanding that running it back simply wasn’t going to get it done. Now, Anthony Edwards has a sidekick who can create his own offense in LaMelo Ball. And with Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota has enough to mask Ball’s defensive deficiencies.

4. Philadelphia 76ers, 45-37

The clear winners of the offseason, the 76ers suddenly have the best starting five in all of basketball. Getting LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to assimilate and the health of Joel Embiid will be the big priorities in training camp and beyond.

3. San Antonio Spurs, 62-20

They have all the talent in the world and are young enough to keep improving, provided they learn from their mistakes in the NBA Finals. Mistakes like relying far too much on the perimeter shot and taking their foot off the gas. But with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper all 22 years old or younger, the future is incredibly bright in San Antonio.

Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball between Julian Champagnie #30 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 05, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.

2. New York Knicks, 53-29

The Knicks are the kings of the NBA, but recent history shows how challenging it is to repeat; the last team to do so was the Warriors in 2018. New York does have its core in place, but the East got much deeper.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 64-18

Out West, the conference does feel top-heavy, with Oklahoma City and San Antonio as the clear, established threats. But the Thunder are entering the season healthy, after injuries derailed them in the Western Conference finals. While key role players like Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins have moved on, no team has been better than the Thunder at getting young players to step up.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA power rankings as training camps open for 2026-27 season: Who will compete for Finals?

September 24, 2026

Ramp to Camp: Record and 2026-27 season prediction for Celtics

Ramp to Camp: Record and 2026-27 season prediction for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens routinely points out that his team’s north star is winning championships. Every decision that Stevens makes is geared towards delivering the Celtics to a place where they can truly contend with the NBA’s elite with the ultimate goal of adding to their league-leading banner collection.

Most years, the season goal is simple: Banner or bust. With only maybe last season an outlier while Jayson Tatum rehabbed from Achilles surgery, the Celtics have entered most recent campaigns with a clearly defined goal of playing on the title stage.

So what happens this year, especially in the aftermath of the Jaylen Brown trade? And how do we define a successful season for Boston?

For the final installment in our 2026 Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to 1) Predict Boston’s final regular-season record, then 2) Offer a summary of how the season ended and whether that checked the boxes for a successful campaign.

Our six-member panel nearly unanimously had Boston crossing 50+ wins (there was a single dissenting vote) but the team’s playoff success, and how the season was ultimately viewed, varied by respondent.

We typically scoff at the annual suggestions that, “The East got so much better,” and the way that might increase the degree of difficulty for teams like Boston. But that’s pretty undeniable this season. The Raptors reacquired Kawhi Leonard, the Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Pacers have a healthier Tyrese Haliburton. The Pistons have plenty of motivation after fizzling in the playoffs after topping the East with a 60-win season last year and Cade Cunningham is only going to get better. The Knicks are the defending champs. There will almost certainly be at least one very good team in the East that lands in the play-in because of the depth of the conference.

What’s more, lottery reform will eliminate motivation for less talented teams to let their foot off the accelerator and tank, which takes away at least a couple of layups for the league’s elite.

So our prediction is going to drag down Boston’s regular-season win total a bit from last season, even if it’s not a full reflection of how the team ultimately remains afloat following the Brown trade. We’ll peg the Celtics at 50-32 overall, a six-win decrease from a season ago, but still securing a top 4 spot in a deeper East.

It’d be jarring to us if, after how last season ended, the Celtics didn’t win at least one playoff round. The overall success of the team, however, will be judged by the progress made over the course of this season’s journey.

* Did Jayson Tatum look like Jayson Tatum again? Did he entrench himself in the MVP conversation while taking on more responsibility in Brown’s absence?

* Did Derrick White find his shot on the offensive end, and can he maintain his All-Defense impact in his age 32 season?

* Did 36-year-old Paul George stay healthy and either maintain his trade value as the Celtics explore future roster options, or make the team ponder a longer-term extension that could defray his overall cap hit if he were to opt out of the final season of his current deal?

* Did Payton Pritchard grasp the opportunity in front of him and make another climb up the NBA hierarchy?

* Did Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson combine to be one of the most impactful frontcourts in the league, with both players able to stay on the court in key spots (Queta avoiding foul trouble; Robinson being healthy)?

* Did Hugo Gonzalez and/or any of the other young wings make the sort of leap that solidifies their status as either a long-term starter or key rotation presence moving forward?

If the answers to these questions are more yesses than nos, then the Celtics had a successful season. It won’t matter, in our mind, if that ends in Round 1 or Round 3.

It would help, too, if chaos on other rosters created opportunity for Boston to cash in on its newfound optionality. The Brown trade was maybe the most painful step in what’s become a pretty robust overhaul of the 2024 title roster. Stevens’ hope is to assemble a new collection of talent around Tatum that allows Boston to more aggressively hunt Banner 19.

It’s all about shimmying a little closer to that north star, even if we’re incredibly impatient in Boston. The Celtics need to make their own internal progress while Stevens plots the next steps for the roster. The Celtics could emerge from this season having reset repeater penalties, while the draft picks acquired from the Brown trade gives Boston all sorts of pathways to adding impact talent and potentially slingshotting them into their next title window.

Josh Canu: Editor

45-37. The rest of the conference got a lot better this offseason. Teams that were behind them in the standings all added major pieces to improve their rosters. The Celtics traded one of their top two players for an aging, constantly injured player. I think the Celtics are a play-in team and lose in the first round. I think the ceiling for this team, without making another blockbuster move, is the second round of the playoffs, so this result would constitute a disappointing season.

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

The C’s finish 55-27 and earn the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference for the third consecutive season. Even without Jaylen Brown, this is a team that should compete for an NBA Finals berth as long as Jayson Tatum is healthy. I’d go as far as to say that anything less than an East finals appearance would be a failure. I predict they’ll reach the East finals to check that “successful” box, but they’ll fall to — you guessed it — Brown and the Sixers in an epic seven-game series.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

56-26. The Celtics will field another great regular-season team and could finish second in the East. They have depth and a ton of young players who will play hard in the regular season. Ultimately, success will be determined by playoff results. Getting to the second round and Tatum regaining his All-NBA form would qualify as a successful season. I’m more optimistic about the Tatum objective than I am about the team making Round 2.

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

51-31. A successful regular season would be a top-four seed in the East, but they’ll have to win at least a playoff series for the year to feel like a success. Jayson Tatum only gets one prime of his career, so you’d ideally prefer him to be fighting for titles for each of the next four seasons. Given the roster construction, though, it feels like he and the Celtics are realistically not getting there this year. In the meantime, they can make a run and add some more playoff experience for the younger part of the roster to have a reasonably successful season.

Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation & Strategy

52-30. A first-round playoff series win and a full season of seeing Jayson Tatum stir the drink — I think that would constitute success.

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

54-28. The record is not as good as last year but I think that’s strategic to save themselves more for the playoffs. As long as they go deep in a series in the second round, it will be a success.

September 24, 2026

Who's on the NHL coaching hot seat during the 2026-27 season?

The 2025-26 NHL season showed that a coaching change could happen at any time.

The Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the season and John Tortorella took the team to the Stanley Cup Final. He wasn't brought back after the run as the Golden Knights promoted American Hockey League coach Ryan Craig.

The New York Islanders fired Patrick Roy with four games and brought in Peter DeBoer, who will lead the team this season.

Tortorella, Cassidy (assuming the Golden Knights give permission), Kris Knoblauch and others are among the former coaches who could step in if a change needs to be made.

So which coaches could be on the hot seat this season? USA TODAY looks at four possibilities:

Todd McLellan, Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings are still looking for a full-time general manager, and that person will determine McLellan's future. He has only been with the team for one-plus seasons of their 10-year playoff drought, but the Red Wings did fade down the stretch last season.

Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey Devils

New general manager Sunny Mehta kept Keefe on and gave him more scoring depth. As always, the Devils' success depends on Jack Hughes' health. Plus, is the goaltending strong enough? A slow start could spell trouble for Keefe.

Scott Arniel, Winnipeg Jets

Arniel has a built-in excuse for a slow start because award-winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck didn't report to the team amid a trade request. But the Jets, even with Hellebuyck, went from the 2024-25 Presidents' Trophy to out of the 2026 playoffs.

Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators

Like Keefe, he has a new general manager (Chris MacFarland) who upgraded the team. Brunette showed an 18-point improvement in his second season, but he's in the final year of his contract.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who's on the NHL coaching hot seat during the 2026-27 season?

September 24, 2026

Have Arsenal been figured out? Three big questions after Brighton’s upset

This week, we dive into the big questions surrounding the most surprising result of the Premier League weekend

Before this past weekend, Arsenal had not lost in the Premier League since April. Nine straight league wins had been enough to crown the Gunners as champions at the end of last season and firmly establish them as the team to beat early this season.

Against Brighton on Saturday, though, the team to beat were beaten. Thoroughly.