The Pittsburgh Penguins' prospects fell just short in their bid to win this year's Prospect Tournament on Tuesday.
They played the Dallas Stars' prospects with everything on the line, but lost 3-1. Liam Ruck scored the Penguins' lone goal in the first period off a great feed from his twin brother, Markus Ruck.
Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives to take from this game, especially since the Penguins had several quality chances from numerous players.
However, there were a few players who stood out above the rest. Here are three standouts from Game 3:
The Ruck Twins
Liam and Markus Ruck were everywhere in this game and generated scoring chances each time they were on the ice. The first goal was a thing of beauty: Mikhail Ilyin won a battle behind the net, got the puck to Markus, who knew exactly where Liam would be. Liam immediately fired the puck home to break the ice.
It was almost telepathic, but that shouldn't surprise anyone since the two brothers have played together their entire lives.
There was a play later in the game when Markus found Liam wide open at the side of the net, but the latter couldn't finish the chance. He shot the puck through the goalmouth, and it went wide.
It was a nice end to the tournament for the twin brothers, who will likely come to training camp for a little bit before returning to the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers.
Jordan Charron
Charron was credited with the game-winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings' prospects on Sunday (even though it was an own goal), and almost scored again on Tuesday.
He had some great chances from the slot, but the Stars' goaltender saved them, and he played a fantastic game. There was another sequence where Charron beat the goalie, but the shot rang off the post.
He improved as the tournament went on, so we'll see whether he can carry that momentum into the 2026-27 season with the OHL's Soo Greyhounds.
We got our first glimpse of the Penguins' 2026 fifth-round pick on Tuesday, and he didn't disappoint. The 18-year-old goaltender kept the Penguins in the game with several key saves.
One save that really stood out was when he faced a third-period breakaway and calmly stayed with the shooter to deny him.
His agility was good, as was his ability to come out and challenge shooters. He also played the puck well behind the net when he had to.
Nikonovich is set to play for the OHL's Barrie Colts this season after they selected him in the CHL Import Draft. It's a solid place for him to continue developing.
Penguins' training camp officially opens at 8:45 a.m. ET on Thursday. All practices inside the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex are free and open to the public.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: Isaac Paredes #15 of the Houston Astros celebrates after hitting a 391 ft. solo home run in the top of the first inning with Yainer Diaz #21 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the end of April, the Astros were 12-20, the worst team in the American League. Since then, they have gone 63-55, the fourth-best AL record over that time. They have climbed back into contention in a laughably weak Western Division, and actually begin this series in first place, despite a .500 record.
Kansas City Royals (66-84) vs. Houston Astros (75-75) at Daikin Park in Houston, TX
The Astros have hit slightly worse at home than they have on the road, with just 47 percent of their home runs coming at Daikin Park. They have the fewest stolen bases in baseball, and the highest caught stealing rate (31 percent) in baseball.
Who’s hot:
Isaac Paredes is hitting .298/.403/.512 with six home runs over his last 34 games.
Salvador Perez has begun to heat up, batting .326/.383/.512 with two home runs in his last 11 games.
Who’s not:
Jeremy Peña is batting just .149/.200/.191 in 12 games in September.
Isaac Collins is batting just 2-for-28 (.071) in September, although he has drawn a team-high eight walks.
Interesting splits:
Yordan Alvarez is hitting .362/.472/.687 at home, by far the best home numbers by any hitter.
Jac Caglianone is third in the AL in OPS since the All-Star break, hitting .323/.352/.551.
Michael Wacha has given up three runs or fewer in nine of his ten starts since the All-Star break, with a 2.29 ERA in that time. Hunter Brown has a 8.82 ERA in four career starts against the Royals, including a start in 2024 where he gave up nine runs while recording just two outs.
Daniel Lynch IV has a 6.37 ERA as a starter in seven games. Cristian Javier has struggled this year, but had his best start in his last outing, giving up just one run in six innings against the Phillies.
Seth Lugo has a 5.76 ERA since the All-Star break, second-worst among qualified starters, but with a 3.79 FIP over that time. The Astros have not yet announced a starter for Thursday, but rookie Ethan Pecko is likely to pitch. He has given up just four earned runs in 15 innings over his last three starts.
The Astros have a 4.12 ERA from their relievers this year, with the eighth-best strikeout rate. The Astros have just 11 blown saves, the fewest in baseball. Josh Hader has 25 saves and has given up just one earned run since July 21, good for a 0.38 ERA in 21 innings over that time. AJ Blubaugh is just ten innings away from becoming the first reliever to throw 100 innings in a season since 2006. Bryan Abreu has a 1.65 ERA in 27 games since the All-Star break.
The Astros have dropped six of eight and are coming off a losing road trip. They are just 37-38 at home, a worse home record than the Royals.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 31: Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 31, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Rasheer Fleming
Power forward, 6’9”, 240 pounds, 22 years old, 2nd season
Ah, Rasheer Fleming. He’s a player with much promise, and someone you can’t help but get excited about when you project who and what he could be. Expectations must be tempered, of course. He was taken with the 31st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, meaning 30 teams passed on him for a reason. But when we watch him play, as he glides with his condor-like wings, your heartbeat starts to spike. He looks like an NBA player, which sounds like half-assed scouting. But when you see it, you know it.
After a freshman year in which he showcased promise, the true test begins. The sophomore year is typically when we see the largest developmental jump, as prospects no longer are taken aback by the inaugural sights and sounds of the Association and have had an entire summer to focus on strength training, film study, and routine.
For an organization that needs its young talent to pop, Fleming represents the possibilities for the next phase of Phoenix Suns basketball. While the expectations that sit upon his broad shoulders aren’t nearly as heavy as those of his fellow draftmate Khaman Maluach, a season in which he plateaus developmentally would hurt the long-term viability of the franchise.
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
55
12.2
4.3
2.3
0.3
0.4
40.5%
34.6%
55.9%
112.7
106.6
+97
Rasheer made his NBA debut last season in the second game of the season, and scored his first NBA points in the team’s third. And while the stat sheet says he played in 55 games last season, his usage in the rotation was sporadic. Such is life for a rookie drafted in the second round. It wasn’t until late February that we began to see Felming with regularity, and with repetitions, we began to see what he could be as a player.
In the Suns’ final 25 games, Fleming played in 24 of them, averaging 18.9 minutes, 6.6 points, and 3.4 rebounds. He shot 40.2% from three-point range while averaging 1.3 stocks (steals + blocks). He was displaying his ability as a true 3-and-D player, impacting both sides of the floor. You couldn’t help but smile seeing him deny someone on one end and pump a three-ball in on the other.
He scored 10+ points in only 5 of his appearances, which is fine when you consider the role he was being asked to fulfill as a reserve. If you’re looking at box scores in an effort to define the productivity of a rookie, you’re certainly going to walk away disappointed. If you were to look at his only start of the season, game 82 when the team rested all of their regulars, there was a fortification of the promise Fleming brings. He scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-7 from deep, adding 6 rebounds, 3 stocks, and 2 assists.
Fleming was pretty much a non-factor in the postseason as the Suns were swept by the Thunder, although he could have been if he had been provided more opportunities. I know, I know…the ‘Disease of What If’. What if he had more run? It would’ve made sense, as one of the ways to jam up two-time MVP is to throw length at him at the point of attack. It’s something the Suns chose not to do, and SGA made them pay. When Collin Gillespie guarded him for 71.9 partial possessions, he scored 30 points on 58.8% shooting and 40% from deep. Fleming guarded him for just 1.8 possessions. The result? A block.
We’ll never know what would have happened if Fleming played more than 18 minutes in the postseason. And at this point in time, we don’t have to. What’s done is done, and we’re looking forward to what he could be, not at a series that was ultimately sealed before the tip ever occurred.
Contract and Roster Context
Fleming is entering year two of a four-year, $8.7 million contract. It is guaranteed through the end of next season, with 2028-29 being a team option.
What He Brings
Hope. That is, from a fanalyst perspective, what Fleming brings first and foremost. Effective rosters are built upon the prospects that flourish within the system. These are the players who become fan favorites. Not the mercenaries, not the veteran minimums. It is the players you draft and develop who have your heart the most. Mikal and Cam. Rasheer and Khaman. That thread of “they are ours” is what endears them to a fanbase.
Exploring the traits Fleming possesses fortifies that hope. He can shoot. He can defend. He has length, athleticism, the ability to rebound, the ability to play small-ball five, and adds size. From a prospect perspective, you salivate over the upside. From a realist perspective, you know that continued development and patience must be practiced in order for him to maximize when you believe he ultimately could be.
He should see more opportunities this season, slotting in as the backup power forward. And I assume that his versatility will put him in some unique rotations where he will shine as an ancillary player. The injury to Mark Williams should open the door for him to play center in lineups when speed and spacing are prioritized. I’m interested to see him in as a small forward as well, in lineups that emphasize size and rebounding.
What Needs to Improve
For any sophomore, the goal is not to plateau. To continue to grow and develop. What does this look like for Fleming? It starts with consistency and decision-making.
Consistency can only occur when opportunity is provided, and we witnessed this in the final 25 games of last season. That needs to carry over into this season. Consistency in shooting, consistency in positioning, consistency in rebounding, effort, and defensive discipline. If you look at who Rasheer was during Summer League in 2025 and who he was a season later, you see growth. But that needs to carry over into the minutes he will be provided this season.
Decision-making is another opportunity for Fleming. There are times you can feel him thinking just a half-second too long, and processing speed needs to become instantaneous rather than processed. That ability to react quickly is the difference between a rotation player and someone sitting on the bench.
Prediction
This is a big year for Fleming, with plenty of opportunities. His versatility should give him numerous looks in different lineup combinations, and I believe he will thrive. What does thrive mean? It’s not necessarily statistical dominance, rather, it’s someone who can contribute to the greater good of the team in a multitude of ways. The skill set is there. It’s time to see the execution.
I feel that we’ll look back at the 2026-27 campaign for Fleming as one in which growth occurred. Where confidence grew. Where he impacted the game with regularity. Will there be hiccups and mental lapses? Of course. But by the end of this season, we will have confidence that this is a rotational piece moving forward, if not a core piece.
If there is one thing that is clear, it is that I am a Rasheer Fleming Stan. I believe he has the ability to be the Suns’ version of Kawhi Leonard, without all the cap-circumvention crap. He may be quiet and unassuming, but he’s an absolute beast on the hardwood. He can lock you up and hit you with a dagger three on the other end. Does he possess the upside that Kawhi does? Probably not. He possesses the intangibles that every team needs in order to be successful. It now comes down to what happens between the ears.
BONUS EPISODE! Two great episodes for the price of, well, none, but it was a privilege to sit down with Cardinals 2025 4th round pick Cade Crossland and I was also very thankful to be joined by prospect evaluator Kyle Reis of thecardinalnation.com who really helped fill in some of the cracks where my prospect knowledge lacks.
I am also thrilled to say that I expect to have MORE player interviews in the coming weeks and months as the player representitive agency “Bellangee Group” reached out to me recently and selected our show as one to help highlight some of their young players, we, of course, will humbly oblige, and you, the listener, will be the beneficiary of all the great content planned in that regard. So, this isnt just a random one off, this is the begininng of something really exciting and we’re happy to be able to bring that to all of you!
00:00 Introduction to Viva Elberto’s Podcast 00:12 Meet the Hosts: Jake, Gabe, and Scott 00:23 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:33 Cade Crossland’s Journey to Pro Ball 04:56 Pre-Draft Process and Emotions 07:12 College Experience and Technology in Baseball 10:36 Cade’s Pitching Style and Mental Approach 12:47 Changeup Success and Pitch Development 15:34 Analyzing Performance and Learning from Mistakes 18:32 Teammate Impressions and Opponent Challenges 21:04 Reflection on July Struggles and Promotion to Peoria 24:42 Offseason Goals and Training Plans 26:27 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: CJ Abrams #5 and Jorbit Vivas #84 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after a 6-5 victory against the Los Angeles Angels at Nationals Park on September 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With only 11 games to go and the Nats officially eliminated from playoff contention, we are officially in the home stretch. It would be easy to just play out the string here, but I do think there is one major goal the Nats should look to accomplish. They should make it their mission to beat the Mets to the 4th place spot and stay out of last place.
Right now, the Nats are 70-81, 0.5 games ahead of the Mets who are 69-81. I think that getting that 4th place spot would be a good way to spring board into the 2027 season. For most of the season, the Nats have been well above the Mets. Holding them off would be a good way to finish the year.
Since the Nats won the World Series in 2019, they have been in the basement of the NL East in 5 of the past 6 seasons. Nats fans have truly been in the trenches for a long time now. This season has been a step forward despite a disappointing last couple months. However, it would be a blow to the psyche to finish last again.
This epic battle for 4th place should truly come down to the wire. It is likely to be decided on the final days of the season. The Nats play the Mets in a 3 game series to finish the season from the 25th to the 27th. Blake Butera needs to pull out all the stops in order to get his team over the line here.
It would also be cool if the crowd got into it as well. We should back the team and help the boys get over the line. They deserve some love to close out this season. While it has not been perfect, this has been the most entertaining season of Nats baseball since 2019. The offense has been electric and Cade Cavalli has established himself as a top of the rotation arm.
How great would it be to send this highly paid Mets team into last place to close out the season? It would be quite the way to close out the season. The Mets have not been a last place team in a while. This stat surprised me, but the Mets have not had sole possession of last place in the division since 2003. It is time to change that over these next two weeks.
Last time they finished in last place in the NL East:
At this point in the season, you have to find meaning in these games. This is true both for the fans and the players. I am sure all these players’ bodies are aching and they can see the finish line. However, as we saw in the Angels series, they have not given up yet, especially at home.
Despite being out of the playoff race, there is still a lot to play for. They are two wins away from having the most wins since 2019 and three wins away from avoiding a 90 loss campaign. If they go 5-6 down the stretch, this team could get to 75 wins. Back in April, I would have 100% taken a 75 win season.
As we wrap up this season, there is still a lot on the line. There are milestones to be reached. It is time to fight to stay out of last place! Let’s keep the Mets in the basement where they belong.
1923: Chicago Bears founder, co-coach and player George Halas returned a Jim Thorpe fumble 98 yards for a touchdown in a 26-0 victory over the Oorang Indians, setting an NFL record that stood for 49 years.
1951: The United States captured the Ryder Cup at Pinehurst, defeating Great Britain 9½-2½ with a team led by Sam Snead.
1959: Chicago Cubs slugger Ernie Banks was named National League MVP for the second consecutive season after another power-filled year at shortstop.
1961: Philadelphia Warriors star Wilt Chamberlain began an NBA-record streak of 65 consecutive games scoring at least 30 points.
1962: Detroit Red Wings defenseman Bill Gadsby recorded his 500th career point in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to reach the milestone.
1965: Johnny Kerr played his 844th consecutive NBA game, then a league record, as the Baltimore Bullets lost 108-107 to the New York Knicks.
1971: Los Angeles Lakers star Elgin Baylor retired because of persistent knee injuries, ending a 14-season career in which he scored 23,149 points and made 11 NBA All-Star teams.
1976: Major League Baseball conducted its first free-agent reentry draft, a landmark business event in the sport’s labor history that included stars such as Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Joe Rudi and Willie McCovey.
1977: New York Rangers star Phil Esposito scored his 600th career goal in a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the third player in NHL history to reach the mark.
1980: Japanese home-run king Sadaharu Oh retired after a legendary career in which he hit a professional-record 868 home runs.
1987: Edmonton Oilers star Wayne Gretzky recorded his 1,000th career assist in his 645th NHL game, adding a hat trick in a 7-2 victory over the New York Rangers.
1988: The Charlotte Hornets played the first game in franchise history, losing 133-93 to the Cleveland Cavaliers before a sellout crowd at Charlotte Coliseum.
1989: David Robinson made his long-awaited NBA debut after fulfilling his U.S. Navy commitment, scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 106-98.
1989: The Orlando Magic played the first regular-season game in franchise history, losing 111-106 to the New Jersey Nets at Orlando Arena.
1993: The NBA Board of Governors awarded the league’s 28th franchise to a Toronto ownership group headed by John Bitove Jr., creating the Toronto Raptors, who began play in 1995.
1996: Houston Rockets forward Charles Barkley became the fourth player in NBA history to compile at least 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 3,500 assists as Houston defeated Utah 75-72.
2000: Grove City running back R.J. Bowers became the first player in NCAA history to surpass 7,000 career rushing yards, reaching the milestone during a 14-10 win over Carnegie Mellon.
2001: Luis Gonzalez singled home the winning run off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 7 to win the first World Series championship in franchise history.
2003: The Big East announced a major expansion during a wave of college conference realignment, adding Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida in all sports and DePaul and Marquette in sports other than football.
2003: New York Rangers captain Mark Messier scored twice in a 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars to pass Gordie Howe and move into second place on the NHL’s career points list with 1,851.
2006: Carolina Hurricanes captain Rod Brind’Amour collected the 1,000th point of his NHL career during a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
2007: Minnesota Vikings rookie Adrian Peterson rushed for an NFL-record 296 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-17 win over the San Diego Chargers.
2009: Hideki Matsui drove in six runs, tying the World Series single-game record, as the New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 to win their record 27th championship. Matsui was unanimously selected World Series MVP.
2012: Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 433 yards against Miami, setting an NFL rookie single-game passing record in a 23-20 victory.
2016: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s NBA-record streak of 157 consecutive games with at least one made 3-pointer ended.
— USA TODAY Network
This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
The Mets made a roster move on Tuesday, claiming infielder/outfielder Christian Cairo off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cairo was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Cairo was a fourth-round pick of Cleveland in the 2019 MLB Draft and signed a minor league contract with the Phillies this past offseason.
In 128 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Cairo had a .676 OPS with four home runs, 35 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.
Cairo, the son of longtime former MLB player Miguel Cairo, has played shortstop, second base, third base, center field, and left field for this season.
Ryan Lambert of the Syracuse Mets delivers a pitch 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
A league owned and operated by Major League Baseball that plays for a few weeks in October and November, the six teams of the Arizona Fall League are rostered by minor league players from all 30 affiliated MLB clubs. This season, the Mets will be supplying players to the Surprise Saguaros, along with the Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals.
Players are selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for a variety of reasons. Commonly, parent clubs send their minor league players to get more at-bats or accrue more innings due to injury or other issues that prevented them from playing during the regular season. Players are also sent to better evaluate changes that were made at the plate or on the mound. In some cases, it gives players who are being considered for spots on the 40-man roster additional time to showcase their abilities in front of the scouts and executives who will be making those decisions and in other cases, players are selected simply to showcase their abilities against the upper echelon of minor league prospects.
This season, the Mets will be sending three infielders, Bruin Agbayani, Boston Baro, and Cole Mathis, and five pitchers, Irving Cota, Brendan Girton, Ryan Lambert, Peyton Prescott, and Calvin Ziegler.
Bruin Agbayani, who was acquired earlier this season from the Minnesota Twins, spent much of the season injured and only appeared in 13 games for the entire season, 10 with the Fort Myers Miracle and 3 with the St. Lucie Mets. Likewise, Boston Baro, who was ranked the Mets’ 25th top prospect coming into the season, had a season beset by injuries and setbacks and only appeared in 11 games, all during a pair of rehab assignments. Mathis, who was acquired by the Mets from the Chicago Cubs, appeared in just 7 games for the Mets, and 21 in total.
Right-hander Irving Cota spent much of the early 2026 season bouncing up-and-down between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies before effectively having his season end in mid-May. He appeared in 8 games in total for the two teams combined, 7 with the Cyclones and 1 with the Rumble Ponies.
Peyton Prescott, who was drafted in the 5th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, made just a single appearance this past season, with the right-hander throwing a single inning for the St. Lucie Mets at the end of the season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2025, just prior to being selected in the draft.
Calvin Ziegler, who was a top prospect in the system as recently as 2023, has lost most if not all of his prospect cache since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. After missing all of the 2025 season, the right-hander returned to the mound in rehab games at the beginning of the summer and then appeared in 12 games total, 11 with the Brooklyn Cyclones and 1 with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
Ryan Lambert, who was ranked 19th on the 2026 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects List, dealt with some minor injuries that may or may not have affected him throughout the season. The right-hander appeared in 26 games for the Syracuse Mets in total and posted a 7.61 ERA in 23.2 innings, allowing 18 hits, walking 25, and striking out 31.
Brenden Girton also experienced limited injuries, mostly at the end of the season. He spent the entirety of the 2026 season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and appeared in 33 games, making 15 starts. He posted a 6.72 ERA in 83.0 innings, allowing 81 hits, walking 57, and striking out 81.
ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 22: Myles Bailey #12 of the Florida State Seminoles bats during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field on February 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB announced the rosters for the Arizona Fall League Tuesday and here are the seven Cubs prospects who will play there beginning in early October.
You have likely not heard of many of these prospects, as most of them have not played above the lower levels of the system.
I noted Myles Bailey in the headline because he was the Cubs’ second round pick this year out of Florida State, where he batted .363/.582/.913 with 13 home runs in 26 games. He suffered a leg injury that ended his college season in April and he did not play in the Cubs system at all this year.
The Cubs clearly want Bailey to get some playing time this year, and that’s the story for many of the prospects listed above. That’s apparently the current organizational philosophy behind the Cubs sending players to the AFL, guys who they want to get more playing time due to injury or other issues that kept them out during the regular season.
I’ll let Josh weigh in on these players as he knows more about them than I do.
The AFL is comprised of six teams, each of which have prospects from five MLB organizations. Cubs prospects play for the Mesa Solar Sox, who have home games at the Cubs spring ballpark, Sloan Park. The other four teams that will send prospects to the Solar Sox are the Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays and Red Sox.
Here are the other five AFL teams and the MLB teams sending prospects their way:
The AFL begins play Saturday, Oct. 3 and concludes with the championship game at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14. There will also be a Fall Stars Game at Salt River Fields on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Fall Stars Game and AFL championship game are generally televised on MLB Network, if you need a baseball fix in November (and who here doesn’t?).
Here’s the complete AFL schedule:
If you are in the Phoenix area during this time, attending an AFL game is fun and inexpensive ($14, or $12 for seniors 60+ and teens 11-17; kids 10 and under with an adult are free, get tickets here). There are usually a few hundred people at each game, many of whom are family members of the players. It’s an enjoyable baseball experience.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 11: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs looks on from the outfield against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on September 11, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the Trade Deadline behind us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
We’ve reached the halfway point of September, several teams have now clinched postseason spots, and several more will soon. With just a couple weeks of regular season baseball left, let’s check in on the NL Central.
Note: Records and stats are through games played on September 13th.
First Place: Milwaukee Brewers (93-57)
Top Position Player: Brice Turang (5.2 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski (6.0 fWAR)
The Brewers won the race to be the first team to clinch a playoff spot over the weekend, and they’re now closing in on the NL Central title. They’re in a good position to finish with the best record in all of baseball as well.
They have an obvious absolute star in Misiorowski, but the most remarkable thing about the Brewers is that they’re just generally solid at almost every spot. Only one of their hitters with over 400 plate appearances has a wRC+ below the 100 average, and that’s Christian Yelich, who’s still in the 90s. You could’ve said similar things about last year’s Brewers, and they ended up getting shoved aside by the Dodgers in the NLCS, so we shall see.
Second Place: Chicago Cubs (83-67, 10 GB)
Top Position Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong (9.8 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Ben Brown (2.0 fWAR)
Going into Monday, the Cubs would have the third best record were they an AL team. Instead in the NL Central, they’re way off the pace of the division lead. As of now, the Cubs are safely in the NL playoffs, but not so safe that they can rest on their laurels. They lost five of their last seven games going into Monday, so they can’t afford to let that skid continue.
As a team, the Cubs are incredibly reliant on their hitting and defense, while pitching has been a massive struggle for them. The two facets of the team are on such opposite poles that they’re going to go down as one of the most unbalanced teams of all time. They have the possible NL MVP in Crow-Armstrong, but can he and the rest of the lineup overcome that pitching? It’ll be fascinating to see play out.
Third Place: Pittsburgh Pirates (75-75, 18 GB)
Top Position Player: Brandon Lowe (4.1 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Paul Skenes (4.8 fWAR)
It was wild to realize when putting together this post that the Pirates are basically in need of a miracle run to get into the playoffs in the NL, but they would be a game out of contention with that record in the AL.
It’s probably too late for Pittsburgh to rally and make the playoffs, but there are some things they can take away from this season. They’ve gotten some good seasons out of some of their young, up and coming players. One of those players is Skenes, who has only been merely “good” instead of “Cy Young Award great.” It’s somewhat worrying that he’s taken a step back, but if the Pirates figure that out, they could be a team that is intriguing next year.
Fourth Place: St. Louis Cardinals (74-76, 19 GB)
Top Position Player: JJ Weatherholt (4.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher(s): Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy (2.6 fWAR)
You can copy and paste some of what was said above about the Pirates and apply that to the Cardinals. Seven different St. Louis hitters aged 27 or younger have put up above average OPS+es on the season. Pallante and Michael McGreevy are both younger pitchers who’ve had pretty good years. They’re also gone nowhere in the standings, really.
Fifth Place: Cincinnati Reds (70-79, 22.5 GB)
Top Position Player: Elly De La Cruz (5.7 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Chase Burns (4.4 fWAR)
The good news for the Reds is that Burns looks like a possible stud worthy of the No. 2 overall pick that he was in 24. More good news is that De La Cruz remains an absolute freak of nature and a genuine star. Not a ton else has gone right for Cincinnati, though. Their 22.5-game deficit in the division is the most of anyone in the league besides the Rockies and Giants in the NL West, both of whom are very bad.
Steve Kerr is asking Draymond Green for a favor the Warriors star once requested from him: patience.
Green thanked Kerr during their postseason exit meeting for remaining patient with him through years of emotional swings, confrontations and suspensions. With Golden State entering a transition season, the coach now wants that patience returned.
“He’s going to have to adapt a little bit, and it’s probably going to be a little frustrating at times,” Kerr said on the “Tom Tolbert Show.” He added that he would need Green’s patience.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a game against the LA Clippers on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Part of the adjustment could involve Green accepting a reduced offensive role, cutting down his turnovers and continuing to shoot open 3-pointers. The more delicate challenge may be tolerating the growing pains around him.
With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss much of the first half, Kerr said Golden State must rely on its entire roster, potentially including two-way players. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski are among those expected to carry more responsibility until the veterans return.
Kerr praised Lendeborg’s maturity and believes the Warriors’ depth can “hold down the fort.” That approach will inevitably produce uneven nights, however, and Green has never been known for quietly accepting mistakes or insufficient effort.
His combustible history gives Kerr’s request additional weight.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr in the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Green verbally unloaded on Kevin Durant during an infamous 2018 loss to the Clippers, an altercation that led Golden State to suspend him. Durant left for Brooklyn the following offseason, and both players later criticized how the organization handled their dispute.
Neither departure can be attributed entirely to Green. Durant already had complicated reasons for leaving, while the Warriors had basketball and financial motivations for moving Poole. Both episodes nevertheless demonstrated what can happen when Green’s competitive fury overwhelms the patience required inside a locker room.
Draymond Green, Dwayne Wade, Andrew Perlmutter and Omar Johnson attend Sport Beach during Cannes Lions 2025 on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Cannes. Ella PellegriniGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green talks with head coach Steve Kerr during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The Warriors now need the 36-year-old to adjust his own responsibilities while guiding teammates who will occasionally miss rotations, overlook open reads or fail to match his urgency and intensity.
Whether Green can navigate that contradiction could determine more than Golden State’s early-season record.
Warriors insider Marcus Thompson II has suggested a poor start could force the franchise to confront an outcome once considered unthinkable.
“Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline,” Thompson said.
Green is playing on a one-year contract, while Stephen Curry remains untouchable and Butler offers more upside if he returns to his pre injured form. If the experiment fails, moving Green could become the clearest signal that Golden State is finally dismantling what remains of its dynasty.
Kerr is asking for patience. By February, the Warriors may know whether Green has enough of it — and whether the organization has any left for him.
OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 25: Drake Batherson #19 of the Ottawa Senators controls the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on April 25, 2026 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Tim Austen/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
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The clock is ticking toward an unusual deadline in the NHL, and teams with players relevant to it are rushing to beat the final horn.
The new collective bargaining agreement goes into effect at midnight, at which time a seven-year contract will be the longest a player can re-sign with his own team — and six years in free agency. The final eight-year deals are getting done Tuesday.
Ryan Leonard will tie Alex Tuch as the Capitals’ highest-paid player
Washington locked up Ryan Leonard for $84 million starting with the 2027-28 season. Making an average of $10.5 million a year through 2035, he will match new Capitals teammate Alex Tuch, who also got eight years in a sign-and-trade with Buffalo, for the highest-paid player on the team when Leonard’s new deal kicks in.
“Ryan is a young and talented player who is still years away from entering his prime, and we believe he has tremendous potential to continue growing into an important player for our organization,” general manager Chris Patrick said in announcing Leonard’s contract. “While reaching his full potential will take time, we have been impressed with his work ethic and the way he continues to develop his game. We are confident in Ryan’s ability to continue improving as a hockey player, and we believe this agreement provides him with the opportunity to grow and develop within our organization, while giving us the ability to keep a talented young player in our lineup for years to come.”
Leonard, a 21-year-old winger, is going into just his second full NHL season after breaking in during the spring of 2025. This contract cements his place as part of the Capitals’ young, post-Alex Ovechkin core, which is expected to also include brothers Ilya and Aliaksei Protas.
Drake Batherson signs the richest deal in Senators history
Ottawa signed Drake Batherson for $86 million, which is the most lucrative contract in Senators history. The previous record was Tim Stützle’s eight-year, $66.8 million extension from September 2022.
Batherson will count $10.75 million against the salary cap starting in 2027, surpassing Stützle’s $8.35 million. He’ll be 29 at that point.
“He was drafted and developed by our organization and has shown a commitment to wanting to be in Ottawa long term,” GM Steve Staios said of Batherson. “We view him as a key part of our core group.”
Batherson has set career highs in scoring each of the past seven seasons, topping out at 71 last year. He is just the second player in league history to do that seven times in a row, joining Vic Stasiuk from 1953-54 to ’59-60 with Detroit.
Even with the cap going up, players want long-term security
Since the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association came to an agreement on this CBA in late June 2025, 33 players have signed an eight-year contract. Twelve of those have come in the past three months, including Colorado’s Cale Makar setting the record for the most money at $163.2 million.
After being flat or nearly flat coming out of the pandemic, the salary cap is the middle of a series of record increases, now that revenues have caught up and are skyrocketing. The cap went from $95.5 million last season to $104 million this season and will be $113.5 million in 2027-28, when most of these new contracts will go into effect.
Philadelphia signing Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet in July that made him the highest-paid player in the sport at $18 million a year — which the Ducks matched to keep him — led to a spike in salaries this summer.
Vegas center Jack Eichel, who is now making $13.5 million on his long-term contract signed last October, said agent Pat Brisson told him about what was coming and they had talks with NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh and others at the union and decided to go the full eight years anyway.
“It’s an incredible deal for me and my family, and we’re super grateful for the organization and the city believing in us,” Eichel said last week. “There’s no signer’s remorse. Yeah, I’m a happy guy.”
Eichel led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023. He and fellow standouts such as Makar, Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, and Florida teammates Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad are proven commodities.
Many of the young players getting eight-year deals this offseason are team gambles of varying degrees.
As recently as Monday, Buffalo signed 22-year-old center Noah Ostlund for $52.8 million, banking on his potential. Ostlund has played in just 71 games in the league thus far.
Pittsburgh signed Ville Koivunen for $32 million over eight years in August. He has 14 points in 42 career games.
The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees have all punched their tickets along with the defending back-to-back World Series champions, and though all three National League divisions are about as close to wrapped up as you can get with the Brewers, Dodgers and Atlanta Braves all leading by comfortable margins, the American League is still anyone's game.
Tampa Bay holds the largest lead in any of the AL divisions with a 3.5 game cushion over the red-hot Yankees, but the Bronx Bombers also clinched their playoff berth on Monday night to set up a climactic series beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22. While the Boston Red Sox are far behind in the AL East picture, they comfortably hold the second wild card spot.
The third American wild card is where things get interesting.
The Cleveland Guardians currently hold the third and final spot, but also trail the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead by 1.5 games. They're currently facing each other in a crucial three-game series that could have major implications in both the division and the wild card. The Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers are also right on their tails, trailing the Guardians by less than two games for that coveted third spot, with the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers further down in the mix as they sit three and 4.5 games behind, respectively.
The National League wild card picture might be even blurrier at the top.
The three current frontrunners - Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres - are all within one game of each other, so there's plenty of room for those cards to be shuffled around in the bracket. The Padres have been locked in a heated battle with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final wild card spot for most of the second half of the season, but the Friars are starting to pull away down the stretch as they enter Tuesday with a 2.5-game lead over their NL West foe.
Those two will finish off the regular season with a three-game series at Petco Park starting Sept. 25 that could end up being "win and get in."
MLB playoff format
The top two division winners (best overall record) in each league receive an automatic bye into the division series.
The third division winner in each league (as the No. 3 seed) hosts the third wild card team (the No. 6 seed) in a best-of-3 series.
The other two wild card teams (Nos. 4 and 5 seeds) play each other, with the higher-seeded team hosting all three games.
The winner of the 4 vs. 5 matchup plays the No. 1 overall seed in a best-of-5 division series, while the 3 vs. 6 winner plays the No. 2 seed.
The winners of those series face each other in a best-of-7 league championship series, with the winners advancing to the World Series.
MLB playoff tiebreaker procedure
If two or more teams finish tied with the same overall regular-season record, the ties are broken by MLB's predetermined formula:
Head-to-head record
Intradivision record
Intraleague record
Interleague record after the All-Star break
Interleague record after the All-Star break, plus one
If three or more teams tie for a spot, they go through the same tiebreaker procedure outlined above based on winning percentages. However, if one team has a better record against all the other tied teams, that team gets the highest playoff seed and the others restart the tiebreaker procedure.
MLB playoff schedule
The MLB postseason begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29 with Game 1 of each of the four Wild Card series. If necessary, a decisive Game 3 is set for two days later on Thursday, Oct. 1.
All four division series will start on Saturday, Oct. 3. If Game 5 is needed, those will be played on Friday, Oct. 9 in the National League and Saturday, Oct. 10 in the American League.
The National League Championship Series will begin on Sunday, Oct. 11 while the American League Championship Series starts the next day on Oct. 12. The LCS round is a best-of-seven with a 2-3-2 format. If necessary, Game 7 is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 in the NLCS and Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the ALCS.
The World Series will begin on Friday, Oct. 23. A winner-take-all Game 7 would be played on Halloween, Oct. 31, if necessary.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Ike Irish #91 of the Baltimore Orioles talks with third base coach Roberto Mercado during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Tuesday afternoon, MLB announced the list of players heading out for the Arizona Fall League this season, with play beginning on October 3 and running through a league championship game on November 14. Eight Orioles prospects are going to be in action with the Peoria Javelinas alongside of players from the Cardinals, Mariners, Padres, and Reds.
The eight Orioles are: OF/1B Ike Irish, OF Vance Honeycutt, INF/OF Brandon Butterworth, RHP Braxton Bragg, LHP Kailen Hamson, RHP Kiefer Lord, RHP Patrick Reilly, and RHP Teddy Sharkey.
This is a fairly typical group of guys for the Orioles to send to the AFL in that most of them missed substantial development time either this year or last year or both due to injuries.
Irish, the team’s first round pick last year, had an excellent first full pro season interrupted by a torn meniscus in his knee; his season ended on July 22, when he was almost certainly closing in on a promotion to Double-A. The AFL assignment will hopefully help him hit the ground running at Chesapeake next season.
Butterworth, kind of a super utility guy who the team acquired in last year’s Laureano/O’Hearn Padres trade, was also sidelined for a decent chunk of this season, ending up with 75 level-appropriate games being played. He finished the season at Triple-A, which is probably a higher level of competition than what he’ll face in Arizona. He hit .269/.377/.497 in 52 games for Chesapeake, which is interesting.
Bragg, Lord, Reilly, and Sharkey are all guys who had Tommy John at some point in the last couple of seasons, whose development paths were thrown off as a result. This quartet of pitchers, all of whom were drafted from the college ranks in 2023, all become Rule 5 Draft-eligible this offseason.
Since they’ve missed so much time, the AFL assignment will allow the Orioles to have a little bit more information about how they’ve recovered and what kind of form they have after the elbow ligament surgery recovery, and they can hopefully make a better decision about who to protect. Except for Lord, they were all getting good or at least decent results at the level the Orioles had assigned them by season’s end, Frederick or Chesapeake.
Hamson makes the AFL cut, with the Orioles probably just wanting to get the Australian-born lefty some more action to try to help him work on severe command problems. Hamson walked 69 batters in 67.1 innings this season, and no, I didn’t mistype that. That’s more walks than innings pitched. It’s not nice.
Then there’s Honeycutt. He tantalized with his bevy of big league spring training home runs, then went on to do more of what he has done so far in his pro career when assigned to Frederick. That is, he struck out a whole lot and had extremely bad hitting numbers. The Orioles bumped Honeycutt up to Chesapeake for the final few weeks of the season anyway and he responded with a .288/.381/.616 batting line in 20 games, where he struck out only 25% of the time.
That’s a high rate for a Double-A player but it’s a low rate for Honeycutt. If he is able to put up a solid batting line in Arizona while limiting the strikeouts again, there will be a little bit of hope that he’s not a total lost cause.
Aug 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Martin Perez (33) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The start of Atlanta’s series at the Chicago Cubs didn’t exactly go to plan.
A short and ineffective Reynaldo López start ended with him going back on the injured list and dug the Braves an early hole. The offense showed fight late but couldn’t claw back into the game, resulting in a series-opening 7-3 loss.
The Braves will look to bounce back Tuesday night (7:40 p.m. ET) with veteran southpaw Martín Pérez (8-9, 3.08 ERA) on the mound against Chicago right-hander (and old friend) Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.60).
Pérez, who has been an unexpected inning-eater and rock in a tumultuous Braves rotation this season, has had a knack for not delivering back-to-back suboptimal starts.
In line with that, he bounced back from a Sept. 5 start at the Phillies which left something to be desired (3 2/3 innings, four runs on seven hits) with a stellar showing last time out against the Rays last Thursday (seven shutout innings, four hits and two walks).
Pérez’s limited experience against the Cubs hasn’t gone particularly well. The 15-year veteran has faced the Cubs just three times (two starts) and is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA, 11 hits allowed and eight strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
In a smaller relief sample size earlier this season, though, he found more success against Chicago, tossing a 1-2-3 inning out of the bullpen in Atlanta’s 4-1 home win over the Cubs on May 13.
Gausman, who had one very good partial season with the Braves (2018) followed by one not particularly good partial season in 2019, restored his career first in San Francisco and more recently in Toronto.
However, his 4.60 ERA in 30 starts this season is his worst since that 2019 season (5.72) by nearly a full run per nine innings.
Things haven’t exactly gotten better since he was shipped to Chicago at the trade deadline. After he had a 4.38 ERA in 23 starts with the Blue Jays, he has a 5.31 ERA in seven starts since joining the Cubs.
Last time out against the Brewers, he had probably his worst start since the trade, getting tagged for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings in an 8-6 loss last Wednesday.
Gausman is 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta. That lone loss came earlier this season when he was with Toronto, surrendering all four runs on five hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss on June 2.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 7:40 p.m. EDT
Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
TV/Streaming: TBS, Atlanta News First (locally), BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
Father Of Penguins' Top Prospect Named Red Wings' Interim General ManagerThe Red Wings delay their search for a new permanent general manager with an interim move on Tuesday.
