Jalen Duren's contract extension talks with Detroit dragged out all summer and right up to the Oct. 1 qualifying offer deadline. These were widely reported contentious talks that league sources at one point had described to NBC Sports as "noxious."
Jalen Duren said none of that came from him and — after signing a five-year, $200 million new deal that keeps him in Detroit — pushed back on the idea that there is any issue between him and the Pistons when he sat down in front of the media Sunday.
"There's been a lot of talk, speculation, false narratives around my name throughout the entire summer..." Duren said. "I've never spoken to anyone in the media, made any statements or comments about anything or everything that's been out there. So you can accept those as rumors....
"I am a Detroit Piston. I want to be a Detroit Piston for life. I want to give everything I got for this city and the fans... I want the city to know that I truly do believe in what we're building. I truly do believe in the players and the organization and the coaches that we have, and I want y'all to believe in me and my work ethic and my ability to want to grow as a man and a player."
Duren also talked about coming off some of the greatest highs of his career, but also a bitter taste about how things ended. Duren is coming off a breakout regular season where he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, played high-level defense in the paint, and was at the heart of how Detroit bullied teams to 60 wins. He was named both an All-Star and All-NBA player.
Duren's lows came in the playoffs, where he struggled on both ends of the court, averaging 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, and he had a negative plus/minus for the postseason. Duren owned that.
"It was humbling, I just need to get better..." he said. "I'm man enough to acknowledge my flaws, and I'm man enough to acknowledge that I'm not perfect. And I'm also man enough to get my ass in the gym and work on those things and get better. I'm not trying to run from anything."
While the postseason was rough, Duren is 22 years old, and pigeonholing him as a guy who cannot grow from his first real postseason experience would be a mistake.
Duren's contract issue is that he was a restricted free agent, a situation where the team has almost all the leverage in negotiations. Combine that with the playoff struggles, and the Pistons were looking to save money in a tax-apron world where they also have to pay Ausar Thompson (a new five-year, $155 million extension) and MVP-candidate Cade Cunningham. Finding a number both sides could accept took time and wasn't easy.
One thing professional athletes do very well is move on from rough situations and not get dragged down by them. Duren isn't mad about how it all went down.
"I never looked at it as a dreadful situation because people are going through way worse," Duren said. "We're talking about negotiating a lot of money. There's no way I could be upset with that."
A former Montreal Canadiens forward has already suffered an injury during the early stages of the season.
Former Canadiens forward Joe Veleno left the New York Rangers' most recent game against the Utah Mammoth early due to a lower-body injury.
This is certainly tough news for Veleno, as the 26-year-old is looking to cement himself as a key part of the Rangers' bottom six. Yet, for now, the former Canadiens forward is going to be sidelined for the time being.
Veleno did not practice with the Rangers on Monday after exiting their most recent game against Utah. An update on Veleno's specific injury has not been provided at the time of this writing.
Veleno signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Rangers this off-season after the Canadiens decided not to bring him back. In 61 games last season with the Canadiens, Veleno posted two goals, five points, and 166 hits. He also recorded one assist in nine playoff games for Montreal during the playoffs.
A former Montreal Canadiens forward has already suffered an injury during the early stages of the season.
Former Canadiens forward Joe Veleno left the New York Rangers' most recent game against the Utah Mammoth early due to a lower-body injury.
This is certainly tough news for Veleno, as the 26-year-old is looking to cement himself as a key part of the Rangers' bottom six. Yet, for now, the former Canadiens forward is going to be sidelined for the time being.
Veleno did not practice with the Rangers on Monday after exiting their most recent game against Utah. An update on Veleno's specific injury has not been provided at the time of this writing.
Veleno signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Rangers this off-season after the Canadiens decided not to bring him back. In 61 games last season with the Canadiens, Veleno posted two goals, five points, and 166 hits. He also recorded one assist in nine playoff games for Montreal during the playoffs.
A former Montreal Canadiens forward has already suffered an injury during the early stages of the season.
Former Canadiens forward Joe Veleno left the New York Rangers' most recent game against the Utah Mammoth early due to a lower-body injury.
This is certainly tough news for Veleno, as the 26-year-old is looking to cement himself as a key part of the Rangers' bottom six. Yet, for now, the former Canadiens forward is going to be sidelined for the time being.
Veleno did not practice with the Rangers on Monday after exiting their most recent game against Utah. An update on Veleno's specific injury has not been provided at the time of this writing.
Veleno signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Rangers this off-season after the Canadiens decided not to bring him back. In 61 games last season with the Canadiens, Veleno posted two goals, five points, and 166 hits. He also recorded one assist in nine playoff games for Montreal during the playoffs.
In an offseason full of surprises for the Anaheim Ducks and the NHL as a whole, one of the most underdiscussed stories is the signing of 18-year-old Nikita Klepov to his entry-level contract in late July.
During the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, the Ducks traded young center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the 15th overall pick (Klepov) and the 29th overall pick. Following the draft, general manager Pat Verbeek remarked that Klepov could be on a “fast track” to the NHL despite his commitment to Michigan State University, where he was slated to begin his collegiate career in 2026-27.
Klepov decided his development had advanced beyond the CHL; in his first year in the OHL, he led the league in scoring with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 games. The Ducks seemed to agree and took it a step further by signing him to his ELC.
As 2026-27 is his draft+1 season, Klepov is ineligible to play in the AHL and is now ineligible to play in the NCAA. He must either play in the NHL or head back to the OHL this season. The Ducks have the option of sending him to the San Diego Gulls in the AHL for a 14-day (maximum) conditioning stint if the team scratches him for five consecutive games.
To begin his NHL career, Klepov has been healthy-scratched through the Ducks’ first two games of the season. They opened their schedule on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights and traveled home to host the Florida Panthers. Those first two opponents represent not only cup-contenders, but two of the more physical teams in the NHL.
In a season where the Ducks moved on from McTavish and fellow top-six forward Chris Kreider, compounded by the fact that they’ll be without forward Troy Terry for the first 2-3 months of the season, they’ll be relying on young pieces to step into scoring roles. Klepov presently has clear top-six skill, and if he can mitigate some of what the Ducks will be without, his services would be a welcome addition.
However true that may be, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville and (presumably) Verbeek felt it best for him not to make his debut this past weekend against Vegas or Florida.
“Well, it's early, and we're going to get him in a game here real soon. And, I think that offensively, I think he's got some great feel to the game,” Quenneville said before their season-opener in Las Vegas on Friday. “He's got a great understanding of the game. You know, he's 18. There's some big guys on our opponents tonight. It's a different night than maybe some other teams.
“And so, watching's not a bad thing, and getting to observe and watching some situations that put yourself in that spot: what would you do, and how would you handle it? But we'll get to see him play.”
Verbeek and the Ducks are no strangers to playing their young future stars in the NHL right away or sooner than perhaps anticipated. A year ago, there were heavy assumptions and speculation that now-star Beckett Sennecke would play his 2025-26 (his D+2) season in the OHL and return to the Oshawa Generals. Under Quenneville and due to injury elsewhere on the depth chart, he played early and often and was allowed to make mistakes, learn on the fly, and ultimately became a Calder Trophy finalist.
After Leo Carlsson’s draft year, it was speculated he’d return to the SHL to play for Örebro again in 2023-24. Instead, Verbeek, the Ducks front office, and the coaching/development staff concocted a game-management plan for their future franchise player that would let him play two games per week, build strength on off days, and avoid burning out halfway through the season, as is common among young rookies.
The fruits of the development plan were never fully realized, as Carlsson spent a significant amount of time injured during his rookie year. However, the blueprint is well-regarded league-wide, and Carlsson is now flourishing into the next generation of NHL stars. The Ducks seem to be eyeing a similar development model for Klepov in his D+1 season.
When asked about it, Quenneville said, “I would say there's some balance to that thought process, exactly like that.”
The Ducks won their first two games against the Knights and Panthers, so it will be curious to see if the coaching staff decides to insert Klepov anywhere in the lineup. It’s too early to draw conclusions regarding Anaheim’s possession numbers just two games into the year, but sliding him into the middle six (or top nine), as presently constructed, would give the depth chart a boost beneath Carlsson, Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, who are driving the entirety of the early offense for the Ducks.
Next on the Ducks’ schedule is another cup-favorite team: the Edmonton Oilers, who will travel to Anaheim for a matchup on Wednesday. Their roster has had an early run in with the injury bug, as they’ve been incredibly top-heavy up front, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Mattias Janmark, and Matthew Savoie all on IR.
With Edmonton running a lineup with little to no depth, and with the Ducks having the benefit of last change, the game on Wednesday may be as good a time as any for Klepov to make his NHL debut. However, Quenneville has made a habit of being reluctant to alter a lineup that won the game prior in any meaningful way.
Following their game against the Oilers on Wednesday, the Ducks will head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets on Friday, followed by a home-and-home against the Calgary Flames. One would be surprised if Klepov returned to Anaheim on Saturday, Oct. 13, having not made his debut. Beyond that, it’s conceivable his usage will be driven by performance vs. development.
In an offseason full of surprises for the Anaheim Ducks and the NHL as a whole, one of the most underdiscussed stories is the signing of 18-year-old Nikita Klepov to his entry-level contract in late July.
During the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, the Ducks traded young center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the 15th overall pick (Klepov) and the 29th overall pick. Following the draft, general manager Pat Verbeek remarked that Klepov could be on a “fast track” to the NHL despite his commitment to Michigan State University, where he was slated to begin his collegiate career in 2026-27.
Klepov decided his development had advanced beyond the CHL; in his first year in the OHL, he led the league in scoring with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 games. The Ducks seemed to agree and took it a step further by signing him to his ELC.
As 2026-27 is his draft+1 season, Klepov is ineligible to play in the AHL and is now ineligible to play in the NCAA. He must either play in the NHL or head back to the OHL this season. The Ducks have the option of sending him to the San Diego Gulls in the AHL for a 14-day (maximum) conditioning stint if the team scratches him for five consecutive games.
To begin his NHL career, Klepov has been healthy-scratched through the Ducks’ first two games of the season. They opened their schedule on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights and traveled home to host the Florida Panthers. Those first two opponents represent not only cup-contenders, but two of the more physical teams in the NHL.
In a season where the Ducks moved on from McTavish and fellow top-six forward Chris Kreider, compounded by the fact that they’ll be without forward Troy Terry for the first 2-3 months of the season, they’ll be relying on young pieces to step into scoring roles. Klepov presently has clear top-six skill, and if he can mitigate some of what the Ducks will be without, his services would be a welcome addition.
However true that may be, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville and (presumably) Verbeek felt it best for him not to make his debut this past weekend against Vegas or Florida.
“Well, it's early, and we're going to get him in a game here real soon. And, I think that offensively, I think he's got some great feel to the game,” Quenneville said before their season-opener in Las Vegas on Friday. “He's got a great understanding of the game. You know, he's 18. There's some big guys on our opponents tonight. It's a different night than maybe some other teams.
“And so, watching's not a bad thing, and getting to observe and watching some situations that put yourself in that spot: what would you do, and how would you handle it? But we'll get to see him play.”
Verbeek and the Ducks are no strangers to playing their young future stars in the NHL right away or sooner than perhaps anticipated. A year ago, there were heavy assumptions and speculation that now-star Beckett Sennecke would play his 2025-26 (his D+2) season in the OHL and return to the Oshawa Generals. Under Quenneville and due to injury elsewhere on the depth chart, he played early and often and was allowed to make mistakes, learn on the fly, and ultimately became a Calder Trophy finalist.
After Leo Carlsson’s draft year, it was speculated he’d return to the SHL to play for Örebro again in 2023-24. Instead, Verbeek, the Ducks front office, and the coaching/development staff concocted a game-management plan for their future franchise player that would let him play two games per week, build strength on off days, and avoid burning out halfway through the season, as is common among young rookies.
The fruits of the development plan were never fully realized, as Carlsson spent a significant amount of time injured during his rookie year. However, the blueprint is well-regarded league-wide, and Carlsson is now flourishing into the next generation of NHL stars. The Ducks seem to be eyeing a similar development model for Klepov in his D+1 season.
When asked about it, Quenneville said, “I would say there's some balance to that thought process, exactly like that.”
The Ducks won their first two games against the Knights and Panthers, so it will be curious to see if the coaching staff decides to insert Klepov anywhere in the lineup. It’s too early to draw conclusions regarding Anaheim’s possession numbers just two games into the year, but sliding him into the middle six (or top nine), as presently constructed, would give the depth chart a boost beneath Carlsson, Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, who are driving the entirety of the early offense for the Ducks.
Next on the Ducks’ schedule is another cup-favorite team: the Edmonton Oilers, who will travel to Anaheim for a matchup on Wednesday. Their roster has had an early run in with the injury bug, as they’ve been incredibly top-heavy up front, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Mattias Janmark, and Matthew Savoie all on IR.
With Edmonton running a lineup with little to no depth, and with the Ducks having the benefit of last change, the game on Wednesday may be as good a time as any for Klepov to make his NHL debut. However, Quenneville has made a habit of being reluctant to alter a lineup that won the game prior in any meaningful way.
Following their game against the Oilers on Wednesday, the Ducks will head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets on Friday, followed by a home-and-home against the Calgary Flames. One would be surprised if Klepov returned to Anaheim on Saturday, Oct. 13, having not made his debut. Beyond that, it’s conceivable his usage will be driven by performance vs. development.
In an offseason full of surprises for the Anaheim Ducks and the NHL as a whole, one of the most underdiscussed stories is the signing of 18-year-old Nikita Klepov to his entry-level contract in late July.
During the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, the Ducks traded young center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the 15th overall pick (Klepov) and the 29th overall pick. Following the draft, general manager Pat Verbeek remarked that Klepov could be on a “fast track” to the NHL despite his commitment to Michigan State University, where he was slated to begin his collegiate career in 2026-27.
Klepov decided his development had advanced beyond the CHL; in his first year in the OHL, he led the league in scoring with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 games. The Ducks seemed to agree and took it a step further by signing him to his ELC.
As 2026-27 is his draft+1 season, Klepov is ineligible to play in the AHL and is now ineligible to play in the NCAA. He must either play in the NHL or head back to the OHL this season. The Ducks have the option of sending him to the San Diego Gulls in the AHL for a 14-day (maximum) conditioning stint if the team scratches him for five consecutive games.
To begin his NHL career, Klepov has been healthy-scratched through the Ducks’ first two games of the season. They opened their schedule on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights and traveled home to host the Florida Panthers. Those first two opponents represent not only cup-contenders, but two of the more physical teams in the NHL.
In a season where the Ducks moved on from McTavish and fellow top-six forward Chris Kreider, compounded by the fact that they’ll be without forward Troy Terry for the first 2-3 months of the season, they’ll be relying on young pieces to step into scoring roles. Klepov presently has clear top-six skill, and if he can mitigate some of what the Ducks will be without, his services would be a welcome addition.
However true that may be, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville and (presumably) Verbeek felt it best for him not to make his debut this past weekend against Vegas or Florida.
“Well, it's early, and we're going to get him in a game here real soon. And, I think that offensively, I think he's got some great feel to the game,” Quenneville said before their season-opener in Las Vegas on Friday. “He's got a great understanding of the game. You know, he's 18. There's some big guys on our opponents tonight. It's a different night than maybe some other teams.
“And so, watching's not a bad thing, and getting to observe and watching some situations that put yourself in that spot: what would you do, and how would you handle it? But we'll get to see him play.”
Verbeek and the Ducks are no strangers to playing their young future stars in the NHL right away or sooner than perhaps anticipated. A year ago, there were heavy assumptions and speculation that now-star Beckett Sennecke would play his 2025-26 (his D+2) season in the OHL and return to the Oshawa Generals. Under Quenneville and due to injury elsewhere on the depth chart, he played early and often and was allowed to make mistakes, learn on the fly, and ultimately became a Calder Trophy finalist.
After Leo Carlsson’s draft year, it was speculated he’d return to the SHL to play for Örebro again in 2023-24. Instead, Verbeek, the Ducks front office, and the coaching/development staff concocted a game-management plan for their future franchise player that would let him play two games per week, build strength on off days, and avoid burning out halfway through the season, as is common among young rookies.
The fruits of the development plan were never fully realized, as Carlsson spent a significant amount of time injured during his rookie year. However, the blueprint is well-regarded league-wide, and Carlsson is now flourishing into the next generation of NHL stars. The Ducks seem to be eyeing a similar development model for Klepov in his D+1 season.
When asked about it, Quenneville said, “I would say there's some balance to that thought process, exactly like that.”
The Ducks won their first two games against the Knights and Panthers, so it will be curious to see if the coaching staff decides to insert Klepov anywhere in the lineup. It’s too early to draw conclusions regarding Anaheim’s possession numbers just two games into the year, but sliding him into the middle six (or top nine), as presently constructed, would give the depth chart a boost beneath Carlsson, Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, who are driving the entirety of the early offense for the Ducks.
Next on the Ducks’ schedule is another cup-favorite team: the Edmonton Oilers, who will travel to Anaheim for a matchup on Wednesday. Their roster has had an early run in with the injury bug, as they’ve been incredibly top-heavy up front, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jason Dickinson, Mattias Janmark, and Matthew Savoie all on IR.
With Edmonton running a lineup with little to no depth, and with the Ducks having the benefit of last change, the game on Wednesday may be as good a time as any for Klepov to make his NHL debut. However, Quenneville has made a habit of being reluctant to alter a lineup that won the game prior in any meaningful way.
Following their game against the Oilers on Wednesday, the Ducks will head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets on Friday, followed by a home-and-home against the Calgary Flames. One would be surprised if Klepov returned to Anaheim on Saturday, Oct. 13, having not made his debut. Beyond that, it’s conceivable his usage will be driven by performance vs. development.
Los Angeles, - October 04: Relief pitcher Brock Stewart #41 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to the plate against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning of Game 2 of an NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The reflection of the performance by the Dodgers bullpen in Game 2 of the NLDS is entirely skewed by a dismal offensive showing, making it extremely unlikely the home team could secure a 2-0 series lead. A rabbit hole exists for those who favor a pessimistic outlook, with Chris Sale starting the next game fully rested. Before raising major concerns about the future of this National League Division Series, the Dodgers’ bullpen’s work must be addressed as a positive from this last game; even if it may ultimately be attributed to the loss, it was the most blameless of the three units (starter, relievers, hitters).
Blake Snell’s inability to get a rhythm at any point cost him in length if not in actual runs—the left-hander couldn’t even get out of the fourth, leaving the Dodgers bullpen to cover 19 outs as they trailed 1-0. Snell’s line could’ve been worse, but he had the bullpen to thank for keeping Atlanta at just one, as Brock Stewart was effective in a pivotal spot, retiring Ronald Acuña Jr. with two men on. Given where Snell was, having walked two in his final inning, it’d be no stretch to contemplate Acuña doing damage off him in that spot.
Unlike the Braves, who nearly rode the Didier Fuentes train all the way to a four-inning save, the Dodgers distributed their bullpen innings quite evenly. Roki Sasaki was the one of six relievers to cover more than just a single frame.
Through those 6.1 innings, Dodger relievers allowed a pair of runs, first on an unfortunate wild pitch by Kris Bubic with a runner on third, enough to score a run that would not have come in without it—a few innings later, with a two-out double from Michael Harris II off Edgardo Henríquez to drive in Matt Olson. It wasn’t perfection, far from it, but Stewart, Evan Phillips, Edwin Díaz, and company were effective. If they deliver an outing such as this one whenever they’re called upon earlier than usual and the team doesn’t win, it is entirely down to the offense’s shortcomings.
Acuña stranding a pair in the fourth after Snell left the game was just the first wasted moment for the Braves offense—there were a few more in which Dodger relievers came through to keep this a close game until the end. Even without allowing a hit, Roki Sasaki created quite a mess for himself with walks and hit-by-pitches; his effectiveness and a bit of luck saw him through two scoreless innings, including a bases-loaded double play to end the inning against Acuña. And that’s probably the best way to emphasize how strong of a bullpen performance this was: in three at-bats against the Dodgers’ bullpen, Acuña had a combined total of five players on base, and he didn’t drive in a single run—play these numbers again, and the result is probably different.
The way in which the Dodgers create bullpen depth by maximizing their resources might not be as obvious as with the rotation or lineup, but it doesn’t mean it is any less effective. Lower and lower on the leverage ladder, you’re still getting quality innings from imposing relievers.
The Angels celebrate their 2002 World Series title. Scouting director Bob Fontaine Jr., who was credited with assembling much of that championship roster, has died at 73. (Los Angeles Times)
The baseball world was captivated by left-handed pitching prospect Jim Abbott ahead of the 1988 major league draft mostly because he didn’t have a right hand. Seven teams passed on him before the Angels picked him.
Why? Largely because Angels scouting director Bob Fontaine Jr. ignored the potential limitations that others fixated on when evaluating Abbott. Rather than dwelling on the absence of a right hand, Fontaine saw something wondrous coming out of Abbott’s left hand — a cut fastball.
“He’s actually more suited to the pro game than the amateurs with the aluminum bats,” Fontaine told The Times after the draft. “He’s going to be breaking off a lot of these wood bats with that cut fastball.”
As usual, Fontaine, who died Saturday at age 73, was prophetic in his assessment. Abbott became the rare pitcher to go straight from college — he’d starred at Michigan — to the major leagues, skipping the minors entirely and enjoying a 10-year MLB career while inspiring numerous fans in disabled communities.
“I think every scout, if they scout for any length of time, is going to have one player that just is special to you. Jimmy Abbott was that,” Fontaine told JapanBall in 2022. “There were people that were even kind of saying, ‘Oh, they did it for a publicity stunt.’ I remember saying, ‘Yeah, we took the eighth player in the country for a publicity stunt? Give us some credit!
Fontaine was showered with plenty of posthumous credit over the weekend. He scouted for six teams, and a highlight of his resume was drafting the nucleus of the Angels roster that won the 2002 World Series.
“What a character ... what a storyteller ... and what a talent evaluator ... there is no 2002 World Series title for the #Angels without Bob Fontaine Jr. ... RIP,” wrote former longtime Times baseball writer Mike Digiovanna on X.
What a character ... what a storyteller ... and what a talent evaluator ... there is no 2002 World Series title for the #Angels without Bob Fontaine Jr. ... RIP https://t.co/1eHIStuWWY
“Crushed regarding Bob Fontaine Jr.’s passing, as he was a special man who I was lucky to work closely with three times @WhiteSox @Mariners, and @BlueJays. Fun as hell, elite evaluator, and phenomenal people skills. RIP, Robert,” added former Dodgers general manager Dan Evans.
“A gifted talent evaluator and mentor, Bob helped shape generations of Angels by overseeing the signing and development of numerous Halos, including Jim Abbott, Jim Edmonds, Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad,” the Angels said in a statement. “Bob left a lasting mark on baseball by devoting over five decades to the game. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
The Angels frustrated Fontaine at times by declining to spend big on players from talent-rich Latin America. Rather than sulk, however, he scoured the globe, in 1992 signing three players from Russia and a fast-pitch softball player from New Zealand named Gus Leger.
Asked by The Times’ Bill Shaikin if he had ever played baseball, Leger responded, “I haven’t. Would it help?”
The experiment failed — none of the quartet advanced beyond Class-A — yet Fontaine maintained the sunny outlook he inherited from his father. Bob Fontaine Sr. was a scout who worked under the legendary Branch Rickey with the Brooklyn Dodgers before becoming scouting director of the Pittsburgh Pirates for 18 years and the first scouting director of the expansion franchise San Diego Padres. He also served as general manager of the Padres from 1977-1980.
“[My father] told me when I got started, ‘Don’t you ever, ever not appreciate where you are and what you’re doing, because you’re lucky. You’re going to a ballpark to make a living, so your bad days aren’t that bad,’” Fontaine Jr. said. “I never forgot that, I never forgot how lucky I am.
“Hey, you’re looking at a guy that barely squeaked through high school, who doesn’t have any ability, and I lasted almost 50 years. It’s because in baseball, if you listen, and you’re not afraid to take a chance once in a while, even somebody with my lack of ability can stay around for a while,” he said.
Fontaine got his foot in the door through his father. His first job as a teenager was as a minor league bat boy with the Pirates. Next he became a peanut vendor at Forbes Field. By age 19, he caught on with the Padres as an area scout.
Both Fontaines were scouts well ahead of the deep empirical and objective analysis of baseball data — sabermetrics is the catch-all term — that some believe has made scouts obsolete. Fontaine maintained the best evaluations come when scouting is utilized along with numbers.
“What the traditional scout gives you is personal reference, like with things I learned on players that I missed on,” he said. “Analytics didn’t do that. I’m a firm believer that the best video camera is your eyes, the best model is your brain, and the best way to make a tough decision is with your heart.”
Fontaine’s methods produced results. Under his guidance in 1977, the Padres drafted future Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith in the fourth round. Four years later Fontaine plucked another future Hall of Famer, taking outfielder Tony Gwynn in the third round.
And when Fontaine moved to the Montreal Expos in 1985, he took a 6-foot-11 left-handed pitcher out of USC named Randy Johnson in the second round — another Hall of Famer.
Fontaine co-authored a memoir in 2021, “In Search of Millionaires (The Life of a Baseball Gypsy): The Accounts of Bob Fontaine Jr.”
“Baseball has provided me with a fabulous opportunity to see the world and work in an industry that most people envy,” he wrote in the book. “I didn’t get rich, except in experiences. To meet and work against so many fine people, as well as some great general managers and owners, has been a privilege.”
Times sports columnist Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.
In Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, manager Chad Tracy pulled starter Payton Tolle with two outs and nobody on base in the fifth inning, opting to utilize Erik Miller to face Ben Rice. The Yankees’ DH turned Miller’s third pitch around for a 423-foot shot to center field, doubling New York’s lead to 2-0.
A night later, in Game 2, Tracy once again strode to the mound with two outs in the fifth inning, this time with runners on the corners. Tracy took the ball from veteran starter Sonny Gray and gave it to … Miller. Cody Bellinger sent Miller’s third pitch into right field, plating a run to once again turn a 1-0 lead into a 2-0 advantage.
Considering that Tracy pulled both starters long before their pitch counts had run high, and considering he went to the same reliever who was extremely ineffective in September after being acquired in a high-profile trade at the deadline, many observers simply assumed that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow played a role in dictating when and where the lefty reliever was going to be used.
Speaking at an end-of-season press conference on Monday, though, Tracy fought vehemently to take the blame for the decisions.
“I’ll answer that,” Tracy said when Breslow was asked about how much input the front office had on in-game decisions. “None. The decisions are mine. We have information just like all the other 29 teams have information. Everybody has that. But as far as, and I’ve said this before, like, since I’ve been here, do I sit in the office and talk through who’s available — you know, throughout the entire season — who’s available today, what’s the best way to deploy them, who’s down? Every single day you do that. But not one time since I’ve been here has anybody scripted a game, has anybody told me use this number right here to decide in this inning.
“Those decisions, they’re mine,” he continued. “So as far as that specific one, my decision, that didn’t — obviously didn’t go great. That falls on me. But there is nothing — do we have data analytics? Of course we do. Everybody does. Is somebody standing there pushing me saying you need to do this, this, this and this? Absolutely not.”
While Tolle — a rookie — spoke diplomatically both after Game 1 and Game 2, Gray was much more direct.
“I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order the third time. I think that’s a fact,” Gray told reporters after the season-ending loss. “I would have liked to been trusted in that moment.”
Gray, who’s set to become a free agent, was asked if he’d like to play in Boston again next season. His answer of “I don’t know” spoke volumes.
Tracy denied having any issues with Gray, despite the decision to pull him after just 70 pitches and one run allowed.
“I didn’t suspect most starters, especially in that case, that guys are going to be happy with being pulled. I thought he answered the questions that were asked of him in a very professional manner. And yes, I have had a chance to talk to him,” Tracy said. “The relationship there is good.
“Do I think he was wanting to stay out there? Quite obviously. But five months of relationship-building with players, and I think there’s some things that get painted sometimes like that that’s stained it or ruined it. It’s like, no, I have a very good working relationship with him and I’ve had numerous conversations with him throughout the course of the year. But yeah, I was able to talk to him. It’s in a fine place, while also understanding his feelings on it.”
When questioned about whether his decisions are based on a feel for the game or raw data, Tracy offered a bit of a confusing response. The first-time manager argued that he didn’t pull Gray out of concern for the pitcher’s effectiveness the third time through the order, which was not an accusation that anyone — even Gray — made.
“I’d push back a little bit on just specifically saying third time through the order. If I was so reliant and worried about that, I probably would have made a move at [leadoff hitter] Ben Rice,” Tracy said. “That was the first guy that would have been third time through the order and that guy has 42 home runs. So there’s a lot of things that get put out there. That would have been the third time through the order.”
Gray, who posted a 1.99 ERA and allowed an opponents’ OPS of just .515 the third time facing a lineup this year, merely pointed out how effective he was in those situations. Nobody said that Gray facing the lineup for a third time was Tracy’s motivation for pulling his starter. That information, presented by Gray himself, merely made the case that Gray had a better chance of getting the final out of the fifth inning than Miller.
As for Miller, he made a strong first impression after joining Boston as the return in the Marcelo Mayer trade, not allowing an earned run in his first 10 appearances. But his effectiveness and control dipped significantly, as he walked nine batters over 6.1 innings to start September, posting an 8.53 ERA and 2.368 WHIP during that seven-game stretch.
Despite that major slide, Tracy said he trusted Miller based largely on his final outing of the regular season.
“Well his last outing here at Fenway was exceptional,” Tracy said. “So he obviously fought it for much of September. The last outing here at Fenway, even then prior to an extended side session was very good. But his last outing was good.”
That outing came on Sept. 24, the final game of the Red Sox’ series against the Guardians. Miller retired Cleveland’s sixth, seventh and eighth hitters in order, striking out one and throwing seven strikes on eight pitches. That lone outing, according to Tracy, outweighed the eight shaky appearances that preceded it.
Gray has more than 2,000 innings of big league experience and was making the playoff start over Ranger Suarez (statistically one of the best playoff pitchers in baseball history) as a reward for Gray having one of the best regular seasons of his career. Tracy said he trusted Gray, despite pulling him out of that moment.
“Believe me, I see both sides. I don’t need to get too deep into defending this or that, because I certainly could have gone the other way with that, and that could have gone well and we wouldn’t even be having the conversation,” Tracy said. “But I do, I do trust Sonny Gray, and I do trust the guys in the bullpen as well. So again, I think the easiest way to say it is like, it was my call, it was my decision. It went south. Here we are.”
Tracy made sure to drive home the statement that he alone is responsible for making such decisions.
“The biggest thing for me coming into this [press conference] was maybe dispelling any notion of people thinking that decisions get made prior to the game or with a piece of paper or with a computer,” he said. “If I can do anything just to dispel that and say those decisions are always going to fall on me. I’m the one that has to answer the questions. And it’s just not the case. And I can speak highly of Bres in that he’s never — nobody has ever come in and done that. We do have information. We look at it completely holistically, try to do that. Different games present different scenarios. But that’s my call.”
The Dodgers offense didn’t look right in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
In a 3-2 loss against the Braves on Sunday, the Dodgers scored two runs off homers from Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman. But Freeman made note of the lineup’s issue in a defeat that evened the playoff series.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman watches his home run during the fourth inning of Game 2 of a National League Division Series. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
“Gotta find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run. So, I think that’s our biggest thing right now,” Freeman said as the Dodgers head to Atlanta for a pivotal Game 3.
The Dodgers lineup has been entirely reliant on the long ball. All six of LA’s runs in the NLDS have come via the home run ball. While it’s certainly more entertaining for fans to see players go yard, it can also lead to a lack of quality at-bats with runners in scoring position.
That is a problem the Yankees have seemingly faced for years. In turn, that has led to the lack of recent championships from the 27-time World Series winning franchise.
On Sunday, the Dodgers endured just that and went 0-for-8 with RISP.
The Dodgers will deploy Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Game 3 with Chris Sale set to be opposite the World Series MVP. The matchup is slated to be a pitcher’s duel, but the Dodgers offense will have to get back to playing small ball in order to generate more traffic on the bases against Sale.
The offensive drought from the Dodgers in Game 2 was telling and the group will have to make corrections in what is now set to be a three-game series between LA and Atlanta. Yamamoto on the mound gives the Dodgers the best chance of winning given the right-hander’s road splits this year, 1.77 ERA and 0.82 WHIP.
But the Dodgers lineup will also have to do its part, which will be its biggest postseason challenge yet against the Braves ace.
Sale tossed a complete game shutout against Los Angeles in August.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the NLDS. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectLos Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 06: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates alongside Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Evgeni Malkin broke a personal protocol by talking to the media on the day of a game. He had good reason to, coming on the heels of his peer Alex Ovechkin’s announcement that he will be retiring from the NHL at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season.
Evgeni Malkin's reaction to the Alex Ovechkin news:
"It's hard because he’s legend, fans love him. He’s done everything for team, for league. I hope he play good this year, no injury. He just stay healthy, score goals, and enjoy the game." https://t.co/yaEQu6L8L9
Malkin and Ovechkin have had an evolving relationship over the years. As young players, they came out of Russia at the same time. Ovechkin was drafted first by Washington in 2004 (a pick that the Penguins, who finished last in the NHL in 2003-04 easily could have had..) and then Pittsburgh took Malkin with the second pick.
Since then, the two have been among the prolific players in the world. Ovechkin has scored 929 goals, Malkin has 1,411 points, both in the top-three in scoring along with Sidney Crosby. The two have battled in the playoffs several times and have multitudes of championships, scoring titles, MVP awards and other achievements between each other.
The two have had their ups and downs personally as well, highlighted by a fight involving Ovechkin and Malkin’s agent. Their relationship has ranged between being competitive rivals to that personal frostiness to now a détente of mutual respect. Malkin and Sidney Crosby gifted Ovechkin with a Rolex in 2025 in recognition of breaking the all-time goal record. Often times when the Penguins and Capitals play, Malkin and Ovechkin will spend time together at one another’s house the night before the game – including last April when images of Malkin playing hallway hockey with Ovechkin’s boys at their house hit social media.
Crosby also spoke this morning about Ovechkin’s announcement.
Malkin’s playing future remains more uncertain. At the beginning of camp he didn’t rule out the desire to play beyond 2026-27, depending on how his health and performance during this upcoming year. So far it’s been so good on that front, Malkin joined Gordie Howe as the only players to start a 40+ year old season with four point in the first two games of a season.
The Penguins and Capitals have four games this season, starting Wednesday night in DC. The other games will be January 18 and March 13 in Pittsburgh, followed by one more meeting back in Washington on April 4th for the final times that Malkin and Ovechkin will share the ice in the NHL.
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 06: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates alongside Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Evgeni Malkin broke a personal protocol by talking to the media on the day of a game. He had good reason to, coming on the heels of his peer Alex Ovechkin’s announcement that he will be retiring from the NHL at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season.
Evgeni Malkin's reaction to the Alex Ovechkin news:
"It's hard because he’s legend, fans love him. He’s done everything for team, for league. I hope he play good this year, no injury. He just stay healthy, score goals, and enjoy the game." https://t.co/yaEQu6L8L9
Malkin and Ovechkin have had an evolving relationship over the years. As young players, they came out of Russia at the same time. Ovechkin was drafted first by Washington in 2004 (a pick that the Penguins, who finished last in the NHL in 2003-04 easily could have had..) and then Pittsburgh took Malkin with the second pick.
Since then, the two have been among the prolific players in the world. Ovechkin has scored 929 goals, Malkin has 1,411 points, both in the top-three in scoring along with Sidney Crosby. The two have battled in the playoffs several times and have multitudes of championships, scoring titles, MVP awards and other achievements between each other.
The two have had their ups and downs personally as well, highlighted by a fight involving Ovechkin and Malkin’s agent. Their relationship has ranged between being competitive rivals to that personal frostiness to now a détente of mutual respect. Malkin and Sidney Crosby gifted Ovechkin with a Rolex in 2025 in recognition of breaking the all-time goal record. Often times when the Penguins and Capitals play, Malkin and Ovechkin will spend time together at one another’s house the night before the game – including last April when images of Malkin playing hallway hockey with Ovechkin’s boys at their house hit social media.
Crosby also spoke this morning about Ovechkin’s announcement.
Malkin’s playing future remains more uncertain. At the beginning of camp he didn’t rule out the desire to play beyond 2026-27, depending on how his health and performance during this upcoming year. So far it’s been so good on that front, Malkin joined Gordie Howe as the only players to start a 40+ year old season with four point in the first two games of a season.
The Penguins and Capitals have four games this season, starting Wednesday night in DC. The other games will be January 18 and March 13 in Pittsburgh, followed by one more meeting back in Washington on April 4th for the final times that Malkin and Ovechkin will share the ice in the NHL.
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 06: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates alongside Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Evgeni Malkin broke a personal protocol by talking to the media on the day of a game. He had good reason to, coming on the heels of his peer Alex Ovechkin’s announcement that he will be retiring from the NHL at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season.
Evgeni Malkin's reaction to the Alex Ovechkin news:
"It's hard because he’s legend, fans love him. He’s done everything for team, for league. I hope he play good this year, no injury. He just stay healthy, score goals, and enjoy the game." https://t.co/yaEQu6L8L9
Malkin and Ovechkin have had an evolving relationship over the years. As young players, they came out of Russia at the same time. Ovechkin was drafted first by Washington in 2004 (a pick that the Penguins, who finished last in the NHL in 2003-04 easily could have had..) and then Pittsburgh took Malkin with the second pick.
Since then, the two have been among the prolific players in the world. Ovechkin has scored 929 goals, Malkin has 1,411 points, both in the top-three in scoring along with Sidney Crosby. The two have battled in the playoffs several times and have multitudes of championships, scoring titles, MVP awards and other achievements between each other.
The two have had their ups and downs personally as well, highlighted by a fight involving Ovechkin and Malkin’s agent. Their relationship has ranged between being competitive rivals to that personal frostiness to now a détente of mutual respect. Malkin and Sidney Crosby gifted Ovechkin with a Rolex in 2025 in recognition of breaking the all-time goal record. Often times when the Penguins and Capitals play, Malkin and Ovechkin will spend time together at one another’s house the night before the game – including last April when images of Malkin playing hallway hockey with Ovechkin’s boys at their house hit social media.
Crosby also spoke this morning about Ovechkin’s announcement.
Malkin’s playing future remains more uncertain. At the beginning of camp he didn’t rule out the desire to play beyond 2026-27, depending on how his health and performance during this upcoming year. So far it’s been so good on that front, Malkin joined Gordie Howe as the only players to start a 40+ year old season with four point in the first two games of a season.
The Penguins and Capitals have four games this season, starting Wednesday night in DC. The other games will be January 18 and March 13 in Pittsburgh, followed by one more meeting back in Washington on April 4th for the final times that Malkin and Ovechkin will share the ice in the NHL.
LOS ANGELES — Ray Kerr is becoming an unlikely postseason hero for the Atlanta Braves.
The former convenience store and movie theater worker struck out four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani on a 95-mph four-seam fastball in the Braves’ 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers that evened their National League Division Series at a game apiece.
“He did it again for us, just amazing,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s throwing the ball so well.”
Ohtani was one of a season-high-tying four strikeouts for Kerr, a 32-year-old lefty reliever who found out in the morning that he’d be starting Game 2 that night. He allowed two hits and walked one in 2 2/3 innings.
“I didn’t really have much pressure on me,” Kerr said, explaining that he had breakfast with his wife and baby who are on the trip and went swimming. “And then when I got to the field, I developed my process in my head. Just an hour before the game, stretch, and get out there and only throw for like five, six minutes.”
Kerr was the opener in the Braves’ NL Wild Card Series Game 3 clincher over the Philadelphia Phillies, tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings, with one hit, one walk and two strikeouts.
“It’s been fun. It’s very surprising,” he said. “It’s like one night, all of a sudden, I got a thousand followers on Instagram. I’m getting used to it. I’m just going to be myself throughout it.”
At 13, Kerr landed in the foster care system in Reno, Nevada, because his father was in prison and his mother was absent. He and his brother were eventually taken in by a woman who provided the stability that had been lacking in their lives.
Kerr graduated from high school in Reno and played baseball at Mendocino College in Northern California for two years before quitting the sport. He returned home and took jobs at a 7-Eleven and a theater.
A coach at Lassen College in the Sierra Nevada foothills convinced Kerr to join the team. He went on to play in the Alaska Baseball League in 2017, where his fastball touched 93 mph. That August, he signed with the Seattle Mariners as an undrafted free agent.
In 2021, he was traded to the San Diego Padres. The following season he reached the majors for the first time, appearing in seven games before being sent down to Triple-A in 2023. Late that year, he was traded to the Braves and started the 2024 season at Triple-A.
He had Tommy John surgery, ending his season in June and keeping him out all of 2025. He returned this year and got selected to Atlanta’s active roster in August.
Kerr made his season debut on Aug. 17, and posted a 1.47 ERA over 18 1/3 innings in nine appearances. Left-handed hitters — like Ohtani — hit .174 against him with a double being the only extra-base hit he allowed.
The Braves are headed back to Atlanta for Game 3, when ace Chris Sale will start.
“It’s going to be crazy there,” Kerr said. “The crowd’s going to be beautiful to watch. I already know it. Especially against the Dodgers.”
And if Kerr gets the nod to take down more innings again, he’ll tell himself “All right, let’s get it.”
“That’s what I say every time,” he said, “and then I stick to it.”
