Lakers star LeBron James to announce ‘decision of all decisions'

Lakers star LeBron James to announce ‘decision of all decisions' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

LeBron James plans to make a major announcement Tuesday as speculation swirls around the four-time NBA champion’s future at the end of what will be the Lakers star’s record 23rd season in the league.

In a post tagged #TheSecondDecision with the cryptic caption, “The decision of all decisions,” the Lakers’ 21-time NBA All-Star teased an announcement scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m. California time.

The hashtag on the open-ended post and video are apparent references to the much-hyped 2010 announcement that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat. The announcement was part of an ESPN special titled, “The Decision.”

The special featured a sit-down talk between James and sportscaster Jim Gray and the dramatic announcement that included the phrase, “taking my talents to South Beach.”

James went on to win back-to-back titles with the Heat in 2012 and 2013 before heading back to Cleveland and winning a third, his hometown franchise’s first. He won the 2020 NBA title with the Lakers.

James, 40, and the Lakers open the regular season Oct. 21 at home against the Warriors, embarking on the team’s first full season with All-Star Luka Dončić. The King, who will turn 41 in December, enters the season tied with Vince Carter for most NBA seasons played at 22.

He was asked about retirement in September and simply said he was excited to play his 23rd season. James has acknowledged that his playing days are nearing an end, but has not offered specifics on a timeline for retirement.

James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds last season. The Lakers were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The league’s all-time leading scorer earned All-NBA Second Team honors for the 2024-25 season.

He enters the 2025-26 season on an expiring contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the spring.

Due to the teasing nature of the post, it’s possible Tuesday’s announcement has nothing to do with retirement. Note that Tuesday also is the start of Amazon’s Prime Day, something James has helped promote in the past.

Lakers star LeBron James to announce ‘decision of all decisions'

Lakers star LeBron James to announce ‘decision of all decisions' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James plans to make a major announcement Tuesday as speculation swirls around the four-time NBA champion’s future at the end of what will be the Lakers star’s record 23rd season in the league.

In a post tagged #TheSecondDecision with the cryptic caption, “The decision of all decisions,” the Lakers’ 21-time NBA All-Star teased an announcement scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m. California time.

The hashtag on the open-ended post and video are apparent references to the much-hyped 2010 announcement that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat. The announcement was part of an ESPN special titled, “The Decision.”

The special featured a sit-down talk between James and sportscaster Jim Gray and the dramatic announcement that included the phrase, “taking my talents to South Beach.”

James went on to win back-to-back titles with the Heat in 2012 and 2013 before heading back to Cleveland and winning a third, his hometown franchise’s first. He won the 2020 NBA title with the Lakers.

James, 40, and the Lakers open the regular season Oct. 21 at home against the Warriors, embarking on the team’s first full season with All-Star Luka Dončić. The King, who will turn 41 in December, enters the season tied with Vince Carter for most NBA seasons played at 22.

He was asked about retirement in September and simply said he was excited to play his 23rd season. James has acknowledged that his playing days are nearing an end, but has not offered specifics on a timeline for retirement.

James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds last season. The Lakers were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The league’s all-time leading scorer earned All-NBA Second Team honors for the 2024-25 season.

He enters the 2025-26 season on an expiring contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the spring.

Due to the teasing nature of the post, it’s possible Tuesday’s announcement has nothing to do with retirement. Note that Tuesday also is the start of Amazon’s Prime Day, something James has helped promote in the past.

Uefa gives ‘reluctant’ approval for domestic games to be played abroad this season

  • Governing body says go-ahead shouldn’t set precedent

  • Barcelona poised to play in US and Milan in Australia

Uefa has given its “reluctant” approval to Serie A and La Liga each playing a domestic game abroad this season. The decision clears a path for Barcelona and Villarreal to meet in Miami in December and for Milan and Como to play in Perth, Australia, in February.

Uefa said in a statement that it had “reiterated its clear opposition to domestic league matches being played outside their home country” but that because “the relevant Fifa regulatory framework – currently under review – is not clear and detailed enough, the Uefa Executive Committee has reluctantly taken the decision to approve, on an exceptional basis, the two requests referred to it”.

The move comes after the Italian and Spanish football federations applied for those matches to be played abroad. Uefa said its national associations had agreed to engage with it before submitting any future requests.

Continue reading...

NHL Insider Casts Doubt on Red Wings' Playoff Hopes, Citing Inexperience on Blue Line

Detroit's young defense is the reason why Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman believes the Red Wings likely won't make the playoffs this upcoming season. 

As the regular season fast approaches, more and more season long predictions are coming out with insiders and hockey outlets beginning to make their call on who wins the cup, makes the playoffs and who will breakout in a big way. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, who is known for his insider reports, has finally announced who he is backing going into the 2025-26 season. Last year, Friedman notably picked the Ottawa Senators as a surprising pick to make the playoffs and was correct with his prediction. When asked about who he's liking this year he mentioned several teams but not the young Detroit Red Wings

NHL Insider Says Cap Could Hit New Heights, Boosting Red Wings' OptionsNHL Insider Says Cap Could Hit New Heights, Boosting Red Wings' OptionsNHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reports the salary cap could rise more than expected in the coming seasons, potentially giving the Detroit Red Wings significantly more flexibility to make future roster moves.

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As the Motor City hockey club hopes to snap their near decade-long playoff drought, Friedman explained he thinks their team is still too young. Defenseman Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson being placed on waivers likely to clears room for 20-year-old Axel Sandin-Pellikka, which could mean they start with a very young defense to start the season.

"They put Holl and Gustafsson on waivers, which is totally fine, but that says to me, they're thinking about doing a really young defense to start the year, like a really young D, we talked about this at the year end last year how Yzerman didn't give out term to veterans because he's like, the young guys need to play and I will bet on these young players, I wonder if that bet really starts right now, I just I don't think that they're ready," Friedman said. 

With Sandin-Pellikka projected into the Red Wings defense, that would give their top six, an average age of 24.8 which would be very young with Ben Chairot being the only player on their backend older than 25 years old. The lack of experience would put added pressure on young players like Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider to carry the load. The signing of Travis Hamonic ruffled some fans feathers as they didn't want the 35-year-old veteran to get in the way of some of the young prospects on the rise but his experience may be needed. 

Depending on how Detroit is positioned heading into the trade deadline, they may need to bolster their blue line further if they're in playoff contention. With $13.2 million in available cap space, this could be the year they finally address the long-standing defensive issues that have kept them in the league’s bottom 12 for goals against per game average in nine straight seasons.

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NHL Opening Night Betting Angles: Panthers Struggle Against Blackhawks, High-Scoring StartsNHL Opening Night Betting Angles: Panthers Struggle Against Blackhawks, High-Scoring StartsThe NHL season opens Tuesday with three high-scoring games featuring key matchups between playoff teams and strong betting trends favoring the Avalanche, Rangers, and Blackhawks. 

Jets Cut Ville Heinola Again – Former First Round Pick Dangled on Waivers

The Winnipeg Jets are nearing final cuts. 

Over the weekend, the team set for Thursday's season opener began to take shape. A number of cuts have been made, with youthful players sent back to Junior and more veteran pieces loaned to the AHL's Manitoba Moose. 

Photo by James Carey Lauder/USA Today 

With Adam Lowry and Dylan Samberg beginning the season on the injured reserve, some opportunities have opened up for both newcomers and youth. 

Further injuries to Cole Perfetti and Jonathan Toews have allowed lengthier tryouts to pieces not previously expected to last this long at training camp.

The Samberg injury opens a spot within the top-four defencemen for the first month or two of the season, on what is already a very crowded blueline. 

With Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo and Neal Pionk already cemented as the team's top-3 outside of Samberg, Luke Schenn, Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller, Logan Stanley and Ville Heinola were always in the mix for the final few spots. 

But on Sunday, the Jets opted to make their move, cutting Ville Heinola and placing him on Waivers with the hope he clears and can resume his season with the Moose.

News on Heinola will come mid-day on Monday, but a claim via Waivers may be the best thing for Heinola's development. 

Selected 20th overall in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the now 24-year-old cracked the Jets out of camp that fall following the retirement of Dustin Byfuglien. He became the first player born in the 21st century to score on NHL goal, and had a goal and five points in eight games to start that rookie season prior to being sent home for further development.

He never made the Jets out of training camp again. 

In 53 games over five seasons, Heinola has that single goal and 12 points to his name. The majority of his time has been spent with the Moose, where he has played 154 games over parts of seven seasons. He has 23 goals and 103 points over that lengthy time spent in antlers. 

Waiver claims will be announced at 1:00 PM central time on Monday. 

Way-Too-Early 2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 Rankings

Here's the second offseason update for my 2006 fantasy baseball top 300 for 5x5 leagues. I just finished up my first go at the pitching projections, so most of the significant changes from the initial update last month will be to the starters and relievers.

Since I’m only now about to get started on hitting projections, those rankings are still very preliminary and will undergo sweeping changes in the next update, which will hopefully take place not long after the winter meetings.

Early 2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks

**Updated Nov. 19**

Nov. 19Top 300TeamPosRankOct. 6
1 Aaron Judge Yankees OF 1 1
2 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers DH 1 2
3 Bobby Witt Jr. Royals SS 1 3
4 Ronald Acuna Jr. Braves OF 2 4
5 Juan Soto Mets OF 3 5
6 Elly De La Cruz Reds SS 2 6
7 Tarik Skubal Tigers SP 1 7
8 Corbin Carroll Diamondbacks OF 4 8
9 Kyle Tucker OF 5 9
10 Paul Skenes Pirates SP 2 12
11 Julio Rodriguez Mariners OF 6 10
12 Jose Ramirez Guardians 3B 1 11
13 Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres OF 7 13
14 Gunnar Henderson Orioles SS 3 14
15 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays 1B 1 15
16 Yordan Alvarez Astros OF 8 16
17 Jackson Chourio Brewers OF 9 17
18 Garrett Crochet Red Sox SP 3 22
19 Francisco Lindor Mets SS 4 19
20 James Wood Nationals OF 10 18
21 Nick Kurtz Athletics 1B 2 23
22 Logan Gilbert Mariners SP 4 20
23 Junior Caminero Rays 3B 2 21
24 Cristopher Sanchez Phillies SP 5 50
25 Zach Neto Angels SS 5 39
26 Wyatt Langford Rangers OF 11 24
27 Trea Turner Phillies SS 6 25
28 Pete Crow-Armstrong Cubs OF 12 26
29 Cal Raleigh Mariners C 1 28
30 Pete Alonso 1B 3 29
31 Jazz Chisholm Jr. Yankees 2B 1 30
32 Matt Olson Braves 1B 4 31
33 Kyle Schwarber DH 2 32
34 Jackson Merrill Padres OF 13 33
35 Freddie Freeman Dodgers 1B 5 34
36 Yoshinobu Yamamoto Dodgers SP 6 42
37 Jarren Duran Red Sox OF 14 27
38 Ketel Marte Diamondbacks 2B 2 37
39 Austin Riley Braves 3B 3 35
40 Bryan Woo Mariners SP 7 46
41 Manny Machado Padres 3B 4 38
42 Max Fried Yankees SP 8 66
43 Bryce Harper Phillies 1B 6 36
44 Rafael Devers Giants 1B 7 43
45 George Kirby Mariners SP 9 54
46 Mookie Betts Dodgers SS 7 44
47 Bo Bichette SS 8 41
48 CJ Abrams Nationals SS 9 45
49 Blake Snell Dodgers SP 10 40
50 Hunter Greene Reds SP 11 68
51 Roman Anthony Red Sox OF 15 49
52 Corey Seager Rangers SS 10 52
53 Jacob deGrom Rangers SP 12 53
54 Seiya Suzuki Cubs OF 16 47
55 Oneil Cruz Pirates OF 17 56
56 Chris Sale Braves SP 13 48
57 Jeremy Pena Astros SS 11 57
58 Hunter Brown Astros SP 14 58
59 Brent Rooker Athletics OF 18 51
60 Michael Harris II Braves OF 19 55
61 Brice Turang Brewers 2B 3 59
62 Cole Ragans Royals SP 15 89
63 Riley Greene Tigers OF 20 62
64 Cody Bellinger OF 21 63
65 Joe Ryan Twins SP 16 60
66 Josh Hader Astros RP 1 74
67 Logan Webb Giants SP 17 64
68 Mike Trout Angels OF 22 61
69 Framber Valdez Astros SP 18 71
70 Aroldis Chapman Red Sox RP 2 125
71 Michael Busch Cubs 1B 8 69
72 Teoscar Hernandez Dodgers OF 23 65
73 Edwin Diaz RP 3 70
74 Josh Naylor Mariners 1B 9 73
75 Dylan Crews Nationals OF 24 72
76 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers SP 19 133
77 Jose Altuve Astros 2B 4 75
78 Trevor Story Red Sox SS 12 81
79 Cade Smith Guardians RP 4 192
80 Ian Happ Cubs OF 25 76
81 Spencer Schwellenbach Braves SP 20 113
82 Jhoan Duran Phillies RP 5 67
83 Luis Robert Jr. White Sox OF 26 78
84 William Contreras Brewers C 2 79
85 Andres Munoz Mariners RP 6 77
86 Zack Wheeler Phillies SP 21 246
87 Byron Buxton Twins OF 27 83
88 Jacob Misiorowski Brewers SP 22 183
89 Maikel Garcia Royals 3B 5 85
90 Vinnie Pasquantino Royals 1B 10 84
91 Dylan Cease SP 23 96
92 Jacob Wilson Athletics SS 13 88
93 Devin Williams RP 7 87
94 Christian Yelich Brewers OF 28 91
95 Kyle Bradish Orioles SP 24 80
96 Mason Miller Padres SP 25 82
97 Jordan Westburg Orioles 3B 6 93
98 Tyler Soderstrom Athletics 1B 11 97
99 Ben Rice Yankees C 3 102
100 Willson Contreras Cardinals 1B 12 98
101 Drew Rasmussen Rays SP 26 147
102 Alex Bregman 3B 7 109
103 Griffin Jax Rays RP 8 NR
104 Alec Bohm Phillies 3B 8 104
105 Jonathan Aranda Rays 1B 13 112
106 Freddy Peralta Brewers SP 27 92
107 David Bednar Yankees RP 9 90
108 Isaac Paredes Astros 3B 9 95
109 Eury Perez Marlins SP 28 153
110 Bryan Reynolds Pirates OF 29 106
111 Robert Suarez RP 10 100
112 Willy Adames Giants SS 14 110
113 Jesus Luzardo Phillies SP 29 118
114 Brenton Doyle Rockies OF 30 117
115 Jac Caglianone Royals OF 31 119
116 Joe Musgrove Padres SP 30 177
117 Lawrence Butler Athletics OF 32 122
118 Nico Hoerner Cubs 2B 5 123
119 Nolan McLean Mets SP 31 111
120 Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays RP 11 132
121 Randy Arozarena Mariners OF 33 129
122 Ezequiel Tovar Rockies SS 15 107
123 Gerrit Cole Yankees SP 32 260
124 Geraldo Perdomo Diamondbacks SS 16 139
125 Raisel Iglesias RP 12 140
126 Tanner Bibee Guardians SP 33 105
127 Marcell Ozuna DH 3 120
128 Nick Pivetta Padres SP 34 138
129 Josh Lowe Rays OF 34 103
130 Luke Keaschall Twins 2B 6 127
131 Kevin Gausman Blue Jays SP 35 99
132 Brandon Nimmo Mets OF 35 126
133 Ryan Helsley RP 13 220
134 Jo Adell Angels OF 36 149
135 Yandy Diaz Rays 1B 14 130
136 Sonny Gray Cardinals SP 36 131
137 Matt Chapman Giants 3B 10 134
138 Andy Pages Dodgers OF 37 116
139 Christian Walker Astros 1B 15 143
140 Tyler Glasnow Dodgers SP 37 108
141 Brandon Lowe Rays 2B 7 148
142 Ceddanne Rafaela Red Sox 2B 8 146
143 Kenley Jansen RP 14 182
144 Steven Kwan Guardians OF 38 142
145 Jackson Holliday Orioles 2B 9 137
146 Shane McClanahan Rays SP 38 168
147 Jasson Dominguez Yankees OF 39 94
148 Eugenio Suarez 3B 11 145
149 Salvador Perez Royals C 4 152
150 Shane Bieber Blue Jays SP 39 141
151 Trevor Megill Brewers RP 15 217
152 Matt McLain Reds 2B 10 151
153 Ranger Suarez SP 40 144
154 Kyle Stowers Marlins OF 40 154
155 Noelvi Marte Reds 3B 12 156
156 Munetaka Murakami 3B 13 160
157 George Springer Blue Jays OF 41 169
158 Brandon Woodruff Brewers SP 41 121
159 Sal Stewart Reds 1B 16 185
160 Mark Vientos Mets 3B 14 172
161 Anthony Volpe Yankees SS 17 86
162 Shane Baz Rays SP 42 180
163 Gleyber Torres Tigers 2B 11 159
164 Matthew Boyd Cubs SP 43 150
165 Anthony Santander Blue Jays OF 42 174
166 Spencer Torkelson Tigers 1B 17 167
167 Cade Horton Cubs SP 44 171
168 Pete Fairbanks RP 16 162
169 Tommy Edman Dodgers 2B 12 135
170 Chase Burns Reds SP 45 188
171 Adolis Garcia Rangers OF 43 163
172 Emmet Sheehan Dodgers SP 46 262
173 Ivan Herrera Cardinals DH 4 197
174 Daulton Varsho Blue Jays OF 44 199
175 Nathan Eovaldi Rangers SP 47 247
176 Andrew Vaughn Brewers 1B 18 170
177 Wilyer Abreu Red Sox OF 45 191
178 Bryce Miller Mariners SP 48 114
179 Addison Barger Blue Jays 3B 15 196
180 Adley Rutschman Orioles C 5 179
181 Trey Yesavage Blue Jays SP 49 175
182 Dylan Beavers Orioles OF 46 181
183 Nick Lodolo Reds SP 50 211
184 Shea Langeliers Athletics C 6 186
185 Abner Uribe Brewers RP 17 255
186 Sandy Alcantara Marlins SP 51 198
187 Colson Montgomery White Sox SS 18 202
188 Giancarlo Stanton Yankees OF 47 203
189 Ryan Pepiot Rays SP 52 214
190 Taylor Ward Orioles OF 48 201
191 Carlos Estevez Royals RP 18 128
192 Dansby Swanson Cubs SS 19 190
193 Will Smith Dodgers C 7 194
194 Shota Imanaga Cubs SP 53 164
195 Carlos Rodon Yankees SP 54 101
196 Kyle Manzardo Guardians 1B 19 206
197 Alec Burleson Cardinals OF 49 212
198 Michael King SP 55 161
199 Konnor Griffin Pirates SS 20 NR
200 Nick Castellanos Phillies OF 50 184
201 Kyle Finnegan RP 19 277
202 Hunter Goodman Rockies C 8 204
203 Ha-Seong Kim SS 21 195
204 TJ Friedl Reds OF 51 207
205 Kris Bubic Royals SP 56 200
206 Bubba Chandler Pirates SP 57 187
207 Jordan Lawlar Diamondbacks 3B 16 189
208 Royce Lewis Twins 3B 17 209
209 Drake Baldwin Braves C 9 210
210 Daniel Palencia Cubs RP 20 115
211 Spencer Strider Braves SP 58 157
212 Trent Grisham Yankees OF 52 282
213 Ramon Laureano Padres OF 53 213
214 Masyn Winn Cardinals SS 22 216
215 Pablo Lopez Twins SP 59 136
216 Jung Hoo Lee Giants OF 54 221
217 Gavin Williams Guardians SP 60 165
218 Ryan Mountcastle Orioles 1B 20 224
219 Samuel Basallo Orioles C 10 225
220 Evan Carter Rangers OF 55 227
221 Emilio Pagan RP 21 NR
222 Luis Arraez 1B 21 226
223 Xavier Edwards Marlins SS 23 229
224 Justin Steele Cubs SP 61 NR
225 Sal Frelick Brewers OF 56 219
226 Jesus Sanchez Astros OF 57 222
227 Reese Olson Tigers SP 62 205
228 Luis Garcia Jr. Nationals 2B 13 218
229 Tanner Scott Dodgers RP 22 158
230 Kerry Carpenter Tigers OF 58 231
231 Jameson Taillon Cubs SP 63 NR
232 Spencer Steer Reds 1B 22 230
233 Colt Keith Tigers 2B 14 235
234 Zebby Matthews Twins SP 64 NR
235 Daylen Lile Nationals OF 59 242
236 Reid Detmers Angels SP 65 300
237 Heliot Ramos Giants OF 60 215
238 Brendan Donovan Cardinals 2B 15 236
239 Sean Manaea Mets SP 66 237
240 Tyler O’Neill Orioles OF 61 176
241 Will Vest Tigers RP 23 243
242 Bryson Stott Phillies 2B 16 238
243 Reynaldo Lopez Braves SP 67 NR
244 Agustin Ramirez Marlins C 11 250
245 Jorge Polanco 2B 17 239
246 Kevin McGonigle Tigers SS 24 265
247 Parker Messick Guardians SP 68 283
248 Marcus Semien Rangers 2B 18 245
249 Logan Henderson Brewers SP 69 NR
250 Riley O’Brien Cardinals RP 24 NR
251 Jakob Marsee Marlins OF 62 253
252 Brett Baty Mets 3B 18 254
253 Zac Gallen SP 70 276
254 Marcelo Meyer Red Sox 3B 19 279
255 Xander Bogaerts Padres SS 25 251
256 Dennis Santana Pirates RP 25 208
257 JJ Wetherholt Cardinals SS 26 285
258 Clay Holmes Mets SP 71 193
259 Josh Jung Rangers 3B 20 256
260 Cam Smith Astros OF 63 244
261 Bryce Eldridge Giants DH 5 234
262 Ryan O’Hearn 1B 23 261
263 Merrill Kelly SP 72 NR
264 Max Muncy Dodgers 3B 21 257
265 Jordan Beck Rockies OF 64 271
266 Andrew Kittredge Orioles RP 26 NR
267 Lars Nootbaar Cardinals OF 65 232
268 Noah Cameron Royals SP 73 NR
269 Ozzie Albies Braves 2B 19 241
270 Parker Meadows Tigers OF 66 248
271 Jurickson Profar Braves OF 67 264
272 Luis Castillo Mariners SP 74 284
273 Matt Shaw Cubs 3B 22 263
274 Yainer Diaz Astros C 12 266
275 Braxton Ashcraft Pirates SP 75 NR
276 Triston Casas Red Sox 1B 24 259
277 Chandler Simpson Rays OF 68 268
278 Coby Mayo Orioles 1B 25 270
279 Kodai Senga Mets SP 76 178
280 Rhys Hoskins 1B 26 240
281 Carlos Correa Astros SS 27 278
282 Cam Schlitter Yankees SP 77 166
283 Nolan Arenado Cardinals 3B 23 272
284 Josh Bell 1B 27 290
285 Cristian Javier Astros SP 78 288
286 Walker Jenkins Twins OF 69 287
287 Ryan Walker Giants RP 27 274
288 Payton Tolle Red Sox SP 79 NR
289 Gabriel Moreno Diamondbacks C 13 293
290 Caleb Durbin Brewers 3B 24 281
291 Roki Sasaki Dodgers SP 80 233
292 Nathaniel Lowe 1B 28 269
293 Kazuma Okamoto 3B 25 NR
294 Max Scherzer SP 81 NR
295 C.J. Kayfus Guardians OF 70 296
296 Jorge Soler Angels OF 71 NR
297 MacKenzie Gore Nationals SP 82 173
298 Lenyn Sosa White Sox 2B 20 NR
299 Jake Burger Rangers 1B 29 NR
300 Bryan Abreu Astros RP 28 NR

Nov. 19 Notes

- The biggest moves at the top of my pitching rankings were Blake Snell dropping from fifth to 10th and Max Fried jumping from 15th to eighth. I just couldn’t justify projecting Snell with enough innings to place him that highly, and even on a per-inning basis, Cristopher Sánchez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto ended up edging him out. As it turned out, Sánchez was the very clear No. 5 for me; he’s a bit closer to Garrett Crochet in the third spot than he is to anyone below him.

- There isn’t much separating my No. 7 through No. 18 starters, so there will surely be some movement up and down there in the coming weeks. The drop off after No. 18 Framber Valdez is somewhat significant now, but Spencer Schwellenbach and Zack Wheeler could move up a tier if things are looking good at the start of spring training and Dylan Cease will probably rise or tumble based on where he signs.

- I have Mason Miller as my No. 25 SP, putting him at 96th overall. That’s probably about 30 spots lower than he’d be as the possible No. 1 reliever. On a per-inning basis, he’d be right around 15th among starters. Of course, his role is still to be determined as of this writing.

- Not currently making the cut is Tatsuya Imai, even though it sounds like he’s going to get at least No. 2-starter money after being posted by the Seibu Lions. I’m not really sure his command is going to hold up, and year one in the U.S. has been difficult for many Japanese hurlers. If he lands in a nice situation, he’ll jump into the 250-300 range, but I’ll probably be more interested in him in 2027.

- The biggest change on the hitting side of things is the addition of Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin at No. 199. I’m not especially confident he’ll get the chance to open up in the majors, but it’s fun that the Pirates are considering it. They definitely don’t want a repeat of 2023, when they waited to promote Paul Skenes and then had him get a full year of service time anyway because of his Rookie of the Year placement.

- Much of the rest of the movement there was injury related. Anthony Volpe will miss the start of the season after shoulder surgery, dropping him 75 spots. Isaac Paredes, Tommy Edman and Lars Nootbaar also fell some because their status for Opening Day is in question.

- One exception: Trent Grisham jumped about 70 spots with the news that he’d stay with the Yankees. I also decided to drop Jasson Domínguez some, since even though I still believe in his fantasy potential, I doubt the Yankees will be content to pencil in both he and Grisham as regulars. They’re still going to want to add Kyle Tucker or bring back Cody Bellinger.

- The Taylor Ward-for-Grayson Rodriguez trade was pretty stunning, but it didn’t have a huge effect here. Before the deal, I had moved up Ward some from the October list initially, but now I’ve slid him back down a bit since he’s off to a tougher ballpark and will probably hit lower in the lineup. Rodriguez was my No. 93 SP prior to the deal, so he didn’t make the cut here. He surely would have moved up some if healthy in the spring, but he’d seem to have considerably less upside now.

I did drop Tyler O’Neill a fair amount as a result of the deal, and Colton Cowser, who was No. 299, fell off the list. I’m still hopeful Dylan Beavers is a regular for the Orioles, but that’s become a crowded outfield all of a sudden.

Oct. 6 Notes

- Just like last year, it's Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Bobby Witt Jr. at the top, with only the order in question. I went Witt, Ohtani and then Judge last offseason. For now, I'm sticking with the same order that I've had since May, aside from when Judge was on the IL.

- I assume most will be listing Juan Soto no lower than fourth, but I'm sliding Ronald Acuña Jr. in there ahead of him. Maybe Soto will be inspired to run again, but it's a hard thing to count on, and any sort of injury could shut that down in a hurry. Acuña curbed his basestealing in his return from a torn ACL, but he'll probably be a little busier there next year, and he looked like his usual self offensively in his 95 games this year. I would think the Braves lineup is in line for a nice rebound.

- Mason Miller checks in at No. 82 for now. I’ll be tempted to rank him first among closers if Robert Suarez opts out of his Padres contract and Miller is tabbed for the ninth. If the Padres decide to give Miller a chance as a starter, I’ll move him down some because of the injury risk, though there’s certainly a chance he’d dominate in the rotation.

- It's going to be fascinating to see what happens with the Red Sox lineup this winter. Do they give Alex Bregman, who is set to opt out, the long-term deal they didn't want to last year? Does Trevor Story opt out of the $50 million he's owed the next two years? Do they alleviate the outfield logjam by moving Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu? Do they give Triston Casas another chance at first? What they really need is a superstar for the middle of the order, but there's a very good chance that giving a long-term deal to Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso will end badly. It might be worth it anyway.

- Sliding Jasson Domínguez back into the top 100 at No. 94 seems kind of risky, but I have to imagine the Yankees will commit to him with both Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham set to hit free agency. Domínguez wasn't too bad in batting .257/.331/.388 at age 22, and he should be capable of finishing with 20 homers and 30 steals if the playing time is there. Of course, there is a scenario that sees Domínguez get a spot to himself, only to wind up being overtaken by Spencer Jones if he gets off to a slow start.

- Yakult Swallows third baseman Munetaka Murakami, long one of Japan's best players, is slated to be posted this winter and is No. 160 here. He'll probably be a first baseman in MLB, but he should be a pretty good one right away. In spite of Japan's deadened baseball, he hit .273/.382/.672 in 55 games this season. He has 181 homers over the last five seasons, and he's just turning 26 in February.

- Another Japanese corner infielder, Kazuma Okamoto, and right-hander Tatsuya Imai could also show up here later.

- At the moment, there are 26 relievers on the list, six of whom are free agents and two of whom will probably opt out of their contracts (Suarez and Edwin Díaz). There are also two teams, besides the Padres, represented twice in the Brewers and Guardians. Abner Uribe was just too good to leave off, even if he starts off behind Trevor Megill on the depth chart. I also stuck Emmanuel Clase at the bottom of the list in case he's cleared after MLB's investigation.

That leaves 13 teams with no RPs here...

Angels: Too many health questions with Ben Joyce and Robert Stephenson should mean they'll again sign a closer.

Athletics: None of the internal options seems particularly intriguing.

Braves: Reynaldo López might head back to the pen after struggling to stay healthy as a starter. He was in the 300-320 range here.

Cardinals: Riley O'Brien was another guy in the mix for a spot, but even though the Cardinals are shedding payroll, they still might add a stopgap and potential deadline trade candidate.

D-backs: Justin Martinez figures to miss next season after Tommy John, and A.J. Puk is likely out until at least midseason. The Diamondbacks will probably wind up with a modestly priced free agent.

Marlins: Ronny Henríquez was in my first draft at the bottom of the list, but it sounds like the Marlins want to spend on bullpen help this winter.

Nationals: Jose A. Ferrer was considered for a spot, but the Nationals figure to be in the market for a closer, and even if they cheap out, Cole Henry could end up overtaking Ferrer.

Orioles: Félix Bautista is probably out for the year after shoulder surgery, and after emptying out at their pen at the deadline, the Orioles will be in the market for multiple late-game options.

Rangers: The Rangers will probably have to sign someone after potential future closers Emiliano Teodo and Marc Church ended up missing most of 2025. It'll be interesting to see if Kumar Rocker winds up in the pen at some point next year.

Reds: Tony Santillan might be able to do the job, but the Reds will surely bring in some competition.

Rockies: With a 68/25 K/BB in 61 2/3 innings as a rookie, Juan Mejia was the most impressive of the Rockies' young relievers this year, and he'll be a spring sleeper if the team declines to spend.

Twins: The Twins won't want to spend much, but they'll probably sign someone to close. Also, one or two of their younger starters could be tried in the pen. It doesn't seem quite right to give up on Taj Bradley as a starter just yet, but he also probably doesn't belong in the Twins rotation right now.

White Sox: Grant Taylor was considered for a spot, but the White Sox are considering moving him back to the rotation. They might sign a cheap veteran to close anyway.

Stella admits McLaren ‘face difficulties’ managing Norris and Piastri in title run-in

  • Oscar Piastri furious with Lando Norris for risky overtake

  • Singapore result reduces championship lead to 22 points

The way in which McLaren manage Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, after the pair clashed again at the Singapore Grand Prix, is now crucial to avoid the drivers losing trust in the team’s approach on the title run-in, the team principal, Andrea Stella, has acknowledged.

The team will conduct an extensive review of their decision-making during the race at the Marina Bay circuit where Norris barged into his teammate while overtaking him in the opening corners.

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NHL Rumor Roundup: The Cost Of Lane Hutson's Next Contract With Canadiens

Two recent contract signings could factor into determining Lane Hutson's next contract with the Montreal Canadiens. 

On Oct. 1, the New Jersey Devils signed defenseman Luke Hughes to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million, ending a standoff that dragged on throughout training camp and the pre-season.

The following day, the Anaheim Ducks signed blueliner Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year extension, also with an average annual value of $9 million, making it the most lucrative contract in franchise history.

Hutson is in the final season of his entry-level contract. The 21-year-old Canadiens blueliner is coming off a strong NHL debut, winning the 2024-25 Calder Memorial Trophy. 

Like Hughes, Hutson will lack arbitration rights if unsigned at the end of this season. He'll also be ineligible to receive an offer sheet from a rival club. His only leverage will be staying away from training camp next September if he's without a contract by that point.

That has scribes pondering what it will cost the Canadiens to sign Hutson.

The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun felt Hughes' contract sets the bar for young defensemen like Hutson coming out of their entry-level deals.

The Hockey News' Adam Proteau cited several reasons why he felt the young Canadiens star deserves a higher salary than Hughes, pointing to his 60 assists last season, his elevated ice time and 123 blocked shots. 

RG.org's Marco D'Amico believes the Canadiens have the leverage to keep Hutson's cap hit closer to $9 million. He suggested that they could use signing bonuses and retirement compensation agreements through the Canada Revenue Agency, netting Hutson more in real dollars.

TVA Sports' Nicolas Cloutier thinks another dominant performance by Hutson this season will improve the youngster's bargaining position. He recommends the Canadiens sign him as soon as possible or risk having to pay much more by season's end.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that the two sides are already engaged in detailed contract talks. He believes the final price could be closer to what Hughes and LaCombe are earning on their new deals.

Why Canadiens' Lane Hutson Deserves A Higher Salary Than Luke Hughes And Jackson LaCombeWhy Canadiens' Lane Hutson Deserves A Higher Salary Than Luke Hughes And Jackson LaCombeThe start of October has been a very good time to be a young, up-and-coming star defenseman in the NHL.

PuckPedia indicates that the Canadiens have a projected $36.7 million in cap space for 2026-27, with 15 active roster players under contract. Management had done a good job getting their best young players signed to long-term deals with reasonable cap hits. Nick Suzuki is earning $7.875 million annually through 2029-30, Cole Caufield's AAV is $7.85 million through 2030-31, and Juraj Slafkovsky's is $7.6 million through 2033. 

Getting Hutson signed to a long-term deal with an AAV of $9 million would be a significant move on their part. It could give them significant long-term savings to put toward maintaining a contender.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Candid Coach John Tortorella Returns To ESPN For NHL Analysis

Longtime NHL coach John Tortorella is back in the studio.

ESPN announced Tortorella will be part of its NHL studio coverage as an analyst this season.

"Known for his candid insights and authentic commentary, Tortorella will bring his deep understanding of the game as a veteran coach with 23 NHL seasons behind the bench, including leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship in the 2003-04 season," ESPN said in a news release on Monday.

Tortorella, 67, was part of ESPN's NHL coverage in 2021-22 when he was between coaching jobs. He had coached for the Columbus Blue Jackets for six years before that campaign, and he joined the Philadelphia Flyers for parts of three seasons afterward.

On March 27, the Flyers fired Tortorella, replacing him with Brad Shaw for the rest of the 2024-25 season before hiring Rick Tocchet for 2025-26. Tortorella said two days before his firing that he's not really interested in learning how to coach that type of season, where the Flyers where second-last in the Eastern Conference. But Briere said there was a series of things that happened leading up to the decision to part ways.

In September, Tortorella told NHL.com he loved coaching the Flyers, and he wasn't quitting on the team when he made those comments.

"I think a coach has to change," Tortorella told NHL.com. "A coach has to show the players respect, that you’re not backing off, but you also care about the grind that they just went through, and they’re done in another few weeks. That’s what I was saying. I don’t want to learn how to coach that way. I don’t know how to coach that way, and I don’t want to learn. If you can keep yourself out of those spots of playing to the end, you won’t be good at that."

Tortorella said he wants to continue coaching. He's currently sixth in NHL history for most games coached, with 1,620, and ninth all-time for wins, with 770. He'll also be an assistant coach for USA's men's squad at the 2026 Olympics.

John Tortorella (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

In the meantime, he'll provide insight on hockey in the studio.

Some of Tortorella's highlights from his last time on ESPN include questioning whether then-rookie Trevor Zegras' over-the-net alley-oop assist to Sonny Milano was too showmanlike for the game.

"If you did that back in 2000, late ’90s, 2000s, you'd get your head taken off," Tortorella said at the time. "It's cool. It's cool to watch, but I'm not so sure it's good for the game, and I stand by that."

Stanley Cup champion T.J. Oshie will also be a studio and game analyst on ESPN. The right winger played 1,010 regular-season NHL games between the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals, recording 302 goals and 695 points. He added another 69 points in 106 playoff contests. He won the Cup with Washington in 2018.

ESPN also announced it re-signed NHL on-air personalities, such as play-by-play commentator Bob Wischusen, analysts Cassie Campbell-Pascall, P.K. Subban and Kevin Weekes and reporter Leah Hextall.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Liverpool’s struggles show that Trent Alexander-Arnold is not easily replaced

Three straight defeats laid bare the issues with Arne Slot’s offseason makeover, with one departure looming particularly large

It’s not a crisis, not yet, but Liverpool’s run of three defeats in a row is reason to take stock. It’s true that the two league games in that run were both lost via last-minute winners, and that in isolation these three games could be explained away relatively easily. But context matters, and the truth is that while Liverpool won their first five league games of the season, they did not play well in them.

New players are struggling to settle and Arne Slot’s rejig of the formation has not really worked, while a number of regulars look out of sorts. Last season Liverpool won the league playing extremely controlled soccer, making 2-0 almost a trademark scoreline, establishing their lead and then running the clock down. This season there has been none of that, no sense of playing within themselves. They’ve been extremely open through midfield and most of their wins have come through late goals. There’s been an unexpected wildness to them, almost as though Slot is going through his transition a season late.

This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@theguardian.com, and he’ll answer the best in a future edition.

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No. 1 Overall Pick Matthew Schaefer to Start Season With Islanders

New York Islanders No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer has made the team. The 18-year-old had his rookie moment throughout preseason, but there's no question his best development path is at the NHL level. 

New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) on XNew York Islanders (@NYIslanders) on XYour 2025-26 New York Islanders.

Schaefer will open the season on the club's third defense pairing alongside Scott Mayfield, while quarterbacking the second power-play unit.  After nine games, the Islanders will have to decide whether or not to return him to the OHL's Erie Otters for the remainder of the OHL season or keep him on the NHL roster. 

Returning to juniors is likely not in Schaefer's future, as long as he can prove he can handle his own out there. 

As expected, Adam Boqvist has won the seventh defenseman job as the Islanders optioned 21-year-old defenseman Isaiah George to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Monday morning. 

With forward Calum Ritchie out 1-2 weeks, that made the Islanders' decision easier when it came to the extra forwards, as Kyle MacLean and Marc Gatcomb will fill those roles. 

Forward Pierre Engvall (offseason hip surgery), Ritchie, and forwards Daylan Kuefler (upper body) and Jesse Nurmi (knee procedure will begin the season on Season-Opening Injured Reserve.

Defenseman Ethan Bear joins Varlamov on IR.  

Explaining Season-Opening Injured Reserve & How That Impacts Islanders Explaining Season-Opening Injured Reserve & How That Impacts Islanders EAST MEADOW, NY -- By Monday at 5 PM ET, the New York Islanders and the 31 NHL teams must submit their salary-cap-compliant rosters to the league office. 

Here's the projected opening-night lineup:

Drouin-Horvat-Heineman

Lee-Barzal-Palmieri

Shabanov-Pageau-Holmstrom

Duclair-Cizikas-Tsyplakov

Romanov-DeAngelo

Pelech-Pulock

Schaefer-Mayfield

Sorokin

Rittich

The Islanders open the season on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7 PM ET on MSGSN. 

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Sabres Considered Longshot To Snap Playoff Drought

In the days leading up to the start of the 2025-26 regular season, various outlets will make predictions on who will win the Stanley Cup or come out of the Eastern Conference to play in the Cup Final. For the Buffalo Sabres, the goal is to make the postseason for the first time since 2011, but according to a pair of prgonosticators, they are a longshot to do so. 

In BetMGM’s future odds prognosticating which teams would reach the 90-point plateau necessary to make the postseason, the Sabres ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference at +165. Florida (+5000), Carolina (-3000), Tampa Bay (-1100), New Jersey (-800), Toronto (-750), Washington (-500), Ottawa (-325), NY Rangers (-285), Montreal (-150), Columbus and Detroit (+160) were all ranked ahead of the Sabres, with the NY Islanders, Philadelphia (+210), Boston (+325), and Pittsburgh (+500) behind them.    

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Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Since resuming an 82-game schedule after COVID, the final Eastern Conference wild card spot has been 91 or 92 points. In another prediction of their chances, Moneypuck had the Sabres with a 38.3% chance of making the playoffs, 10th in the Eastern Conference. Buffalo’s chances would seemingly rely on a number of factors going right and avoiding injuries to key players, but the injury bug has already been prevelant in training camp. 

Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, defenseman Michael Kesselring, and forward Jordan Greenway may start the season on injured reserve, with Luukkonen’s injury being the most concerning. The 26-year-old goalie has played more than 50 games the last two seasons, but suffered a nagging lower-body injury prior to training camp and missed the first week of practices. The Sabres starter played one period against Pittsburgh last Wednesday before being pulled for precautionary reasons, due to a different lower body injury. 

Luukkonen’s absence will have the Sabres starting the season with Alex Lyon as their defacto starter and Alexandar Georgiev as the backup. 

 

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