PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: A close up view of an Arizona Diamondbacks cap logo prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
RHP Gerardo Carrillo Carrillo was signed as a Minor League free agent in the offseason, and after eight seasons in the Minors, he made his big league debut in late July at age 27.
Carrillo allowed a run in two innings in that game, then rattled off nine straight appearances (14 1/3 innings) without allowing an earned run and striking out 18.
With several relievers set to depart via free agency, Carrillo could be a big contributor in the Arizona ‘pen in 2027, provided he finds a way to improve his control. Overall, he allowed 16 walks (one intentional) over 17 1/3 innings.
“He has electric stuff,” Slivka said. “Upper 90s fastball, low-to-mid 90s cutter, a nasty split. We saw some inconsistencies with control. When he got sent down, we worked through some things in his delivery to help him find the zone more frequently, and he really started to dial things in.”
Pena slashed .305/.345/.555 for a .900 OPS between the two levels. His sky-high numbers in Amarillo evened out a bit in Reno, where he posted just a .746 OPS, however.
Pena certainly strikes out a lot (119 in 2026) and could use a more all-field approach, but the raw power is clearly there, and the Diamondbacks desperately need power production from their first base position.
Pena likely won’t make the majors out of camp, but he’s a name that could find its way to the big league level in the coming season if he produces early and shows improvement.
The Guardians have landed the first punch in the ALCS, stunning the widely favored Rays with a come-from-behind win in Game 1 on Monday night.
The Guardians’ 7-3 win looked so much different for the first six innings, with the Rays in full control and playing their famous, airtight brand of baseball. Once that door cracked open, though, the Guardians burst through with the combination of power and timely hitting that got them here in the first place.
Batters have been more successful on robot umpire challenges in the playoffs than during the regular season, and teams are utilizing the Automated Ball-Strike System more overall in its postseason debut.
Seventy-one of 121 overall challenges under ABS prevailed during the 25 games of the Wild Card Series and Division Series. The 59% success rate was up from 54% during the regular season. That includes an improvement for batters to 57% (29 of 51) from 49%.
It’s not that hitters are necessarily being more conservative, either. Teams are challenging more in the postseason overall, with 4.8 per game compared to 4.3 during the regular season. Batter challenges are up to 2.04 per game from 1.96.
If the Dodgers do take Ohtani out of the lineup, it’d very likely mean the first career playoff start for 21-year-old Josue De Paula. The Dodgers have carried the top prospect as a bench bat after calling him up in September. De Paula hasn’t shied away from the moment, working two walks in three postseason plate appearances. He took a crucial base on balls against Didier Fuentes to help the Dodgers take a decisive lead in Game 4 of their Division Series. De Paula kept Game 1 of the NLCS alive by working a two-out walk against Trevor Megill in the ninth inning, but Mookie Betts flew out to end the game 2-1.
Ian Happ is one of the most underappreciated Cubs — maybe ever.
He’s played 10 seasons with the team, producing 25.3 bWAR. That ranks 27th among all Cubs position players — ever. He has hit 197 home runs with the team, which ranks 11th in team history — one behind Hank Sauer for 10th. He’s won four Gold Gloves and is likely to get a fifth when those awards are announced next month.
And yet, Happ seems disliked by many Cubs fans. Why? Maybe it’s the batting average. He hit a career-low .218 in 2026 and his career BA is just .243.
As most of us know, batting average is not a good way to make a complete evaluation of a player. Happ walks. A lot. His 621 walks rank 15th in franchise history and his .341 career OBP is pretty good, as is his .442 career SLG, which ranks 43rd in team history.
Is Happ a great player? No, he’s not. Is he a solid building block any team should be happy to have? Absolutely, and beyond that are the compliments his teammates gave him after the season ended, starting with Dansby Swanson:
“He’s meant a lot to me,” Swanson finally continued. “I think he truly embodies what it means to wear the jersey. And I know he would probably never say that himself, but the tradition and legacy that I feel like he’s carried on from that ’16 team, just the lessons that he has learned, he’s taught me a lot.
“He’s one of my longest friends that I’ve had here, so yeah, that probably speaks enough for itself. He embodies the Cubs more than anyone I know. He’s a big reason why I’m here, and I’m very thankful for him.”
“Happer, he is the Chicago Cubs,” said center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. “I know he loves this place and he kind of helped teach me how to love this place and play here. He’s played a very big role in this version of me so far up to this point.”
You might not think those things matter. I think they do. Clearly players think they do.
Now, having said all that, I would think the Cubs would hesitate signing a guy coming off a pretty bad year to any sort of long-term extension. Yesterday I wrote about Seiya Suzuki and how much I think he means to the Cubs and how they should bend every effort to keep him.
Happ and Suzuki are almost exactly the same age — Happ is six days older. My personal feeling is that Suzuki will age better than Happ will and that Suzuki is more worth a long-term deal.
The most I would give Happ is a one-year deal with a vesting option. If he has a good year in 2027, then sure, extend him into 2028. The Cubs will almost certainly make him a qualifying offer and he just might take it. I’d be okay with that, too.
The alternative might be some sort of combination of Kevin Alcántara, Pedro Ramírez and Matt Shaw in left field for the Cubs in 2027, and personally, I think that would be a significant downgrade.
The wounds of a devastating sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays are still fresh for the Yankees, as they come to terms with another disappointing end to a season this week. As we begin what’s likely going to be a long and dreadfully boring offseason with the impending lockout, it’s time to look back.
Every year, we at Pinstripe Alley look back at the best and worst moments from the past season in the immediate aftermath of its conclusion. After Andrés helped us remember some of the low points, it’s time to remember that there were, in fact, some good moments from this season.
Honorable mentions
Jordan Romano’s Two Meltdowns (April 13/15th vs LAA): As part of a weird, early-season split with the Angels, the Yankees trailed after eight innings in all four games, but won two of them. Against their former Blue Jays adversary, the Yankees came back to win both games, first via a Trent Grisham game-tying homer and a walk-off wild pitch on the 13th, and then a two-run double by José Caballero on the 15th after an odd dropped pop-up. It was a good, early-season vibe boost.
A 13-Run Third Inning (May 31st @ ATH): This game is more notable for being the final one that Aaron Judge played before finally reporting the stress fracture in his rib, but it was one of the more surreal innings of the season. After Will Warren gave up three runs in the first and Jacob Lopez flummoxed the Yankees through two innings, they scored 13 runs in the third on 11 hits, four walks, four stolen bases, and zero home runs. It was tied for the biggest inning the franchise had seen since 1920.
Three Comebacks In The Nation’s Capital (July 10-12th @ WSH): A lot of these moments are based on vibes, and the trio of comebacks against the Nationals before the All-Star break were incredibly needed for a reeling Yankees team coming off a 4-15 slide. Two of the comebacks came off former Yankees in Matt Krook and Clayton Beeter, while the latter was driven by a massive two-run triple by Ben Rice late in the game.
David Bednar Caps Bullpen Day Victory (July 19th vs LAD): David Bednar had a ton of big saves this season, but none were greater than his five-out save to prevent a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium right after the All-Star break, especially after Yoshinobu Yamamoto wrecked a depleted offense in the day game of that doubleheader.
Luis Garcia Jr., Welcome to the Bronx (August 3rd vs STL): In the immediate aftermath of an underwhelming Trade Deadline, the Yankees fell behind 6-0 early to the Cardinals, but hit four home runs to fight their way back, including a picturesque bomb from García in his Yankees debut. This would be in the top five if they won, but Angel Chivilli imploded approximately five minutes later.
The Final Series Against Boston (August 28-30th vs BOS): Aside from a sleepy opening to the Saturday doubleheader, the Yankees put together three inspiring performances to effectively clinch the top wild card and end the Red Sox’s mad dash towards them in the standings. Cody Bellinger’s incredible throw on Friday night and Warren’s mastery on Sunday amidst a 16-1 blowout were great moments on their own.
The Final Day of True Hope (September 14th vs MIN): The Yankees clinched the playoffs and popped bottles in Minnesota, a place that they have dominated for the last 25 years. Clinching does nothing for this franchise, so the real cathartic moment was seeing Judge, amidst a post-injury slump, finally get going with a titanic home run that made you believe he was back. Two days later, he suffered a season-ending calf strain. This game embodied the fleeting hope of the season.
5. A Rare, Well-Timed Triumph In Extra Innings
August 7th vs. ATL
When you look at a 162-game season for best moments, what should you look for? What felt best in the moment, or what was best for the season? In that week alone, the debut of George Lombard Jr. and García’s mammoth home run against the Cardinals that was immediately wasted, were some of the most exciting moments of the season, but neither meant much in the grand scheme of things.
Some moments are more in-the-moment vibes-based, but others look more like the bigger picture. Put yourself back in the headspace of where the Yankees were entering a three-game weekend series against the NL East-leading Braves. They entered the day just a half game ahead of the blisteringly hot Red Sox, who had won 31 of 36 entering play. That night, Boston destroyed the hapless Athletics, 13-1, putting the pressure on the Yanks.
Even more daunting? That outcome was explicitly known well before this one entered the late innings. A nearly two-hour rain delay meant Boston was well on their way to victory at Fenway by the time the game started. The Braves broke a scoreless tie with an Austin Riley home run off Fernando Cruz in the eighth. The reality was setting in: the Yankees were about to fully blow a 15.5-game lead on the Red Sox… in 44 days.
As midnight approached, with one out against lockdown closer Raisel Iglesias, Lombard, in his third major league game, dribbled a chopper back to the mound and beat it out for an infield single. He was able to scamper all the way to third after a wild throw from Iglesias sailed over Matt Olson at first. There’s the spark.
After Ryan McMahon struck out, the Yankees were down to their final out. Two pitches later, Austin Wells ripped a double down the right-field line to score Lombard and get into scoring position as the tying run. Amed Rosario, who never takes at-bats against right-handed pitching, drew a gritty, eight-pitch walk to bring up Rice, who was in a dreadful 0-for-17 slide to start August.
With the weight of the Bronx on his shoulders, the Yankees’ DH smoked a ball 103.4 mph to right field. A little higher and it’s a walk-off home run, but it was hard enough and high enough to spook Acuña into playing it conservatively off the wall instead of trying to leap for it to end the game. Wells scored the tying run, but Rosario was held at third. He’d be stranded shortly after, but the Yankees had life into extras.
The Yankees are terrible in extras. Even at home, where they’ve been pretty good since the Manfred Man was introduced, they didn’t get a single hit in extra innings all season. They needed David Bednar to be crisp, and he was to get Sean Murphy and Jim Jarvis. With two outs and the go-ahead run on second, Acuña blooped a ball into no-man’s land in right field. García, in just his fourth game as a Yankee, made one of the best defensive plays of his career to keep this game tied.
Tyler Kinley was tasked with getting through the 11th for Atlanta and almost did so. A horrendous bunt attempt by Caballero resulted in a foul-bunt strikeout. An intentional walk to Spencer Jones and a six-pitch walk by Lombard loaded the bases with one out for McMahon, the team’s worst hitter all season, with major contact issues. Needing him to just lift a fly ball, that’s exactly what he did to walk it off with a sac fly.
Baseball is unfortunately a game of momentum. Who has it, and who doesn’t. The Red Sox had it; the Yankees absolutely didn’t. If Boston passed them that night, I’m not so sure that this season wouldn’t end in embarrassment at Fenway Park in the Wild Card Series, even if the mirage that was the July Red Sox came to light eventually.
4. Ben Rice’s Ultimate Redemption
August 16th @ TOR
Some things don’t need that full-season perspective. Some things can just feel cathartic, as they did in the rubber game of a three-game set in Toronto in mid-August.
The Yankees were winning another one of those low-scoring games they made their signature for much of this season, doing just enough against Dylan Cease to hold a 2-1 lead after eight (that was almost 3-1 after Caballero’s unique rundown). All they needed was three outs from Bednar.
It was rare in the second half that you’d see Rice play first base, but in the immediate aftermath of García’s game-losing throwing error against the Jays two nights earlier, maybe Aaron Boone thought to give Rice some reps. Bednar got ahead 0-2 on Josh H. Smith, who chopped a ball to first. It took a weird hop on Rice, as is usual on the turf, and he booted it for a leadoff E3.
As we know, playing the Blue Jays, that came back to bite the Yankees. Alejandro Kirk worked a walk, Ali Sanchez failed to block a splitter in the dirt allowing both runners to advance with one out, and Ernie Clement tied the game with a sac fly. An unearned run would force the Yankees to play in road extras, their kryptonite.
Fortunately for Rice, he got to immediately rectify it at the plate. After a sac bunt by Caballero, Rice lit up a 2-0 slider and deposited it into the right-field seats for a go-ahead 437-foot home run.
In a place that was a House of Horrors for them in 2025, it was extremely satisfying to see the team win a game in this fashion to contribute to what would be a last-place Blue Jays team. You usually get a chance to redeem your defensive mistakes, if only the Yankees had embraced that in some of their recent playoff exits.
3. Bellinger and Schlittler Finish Fenway Sweep
April 23rd @ BOS
Sweeping a rival is fun. It doesn’t happen for the Yankees very often because of how hyper-competitive the AL East is, but it did happen a few times this season, which led to some extremely satisfying games to watch. One of those series came in April against a then-spiraling Red Sox team. Dominant starts from Luis Gil and Max Fried generated a pair of low-scoring wins to start the series, but the finale would be the most satisfying of them all.
Cam Schlittler was making his first career start in Fenway, the ballpark he grew up idolizing as a child, just six months after he joined all-time Boston infamy with his Game 3 start in last year’s Wild Card Series. It got off to a shaky start, but the likely Cy Young winner settled in around an RBI double by Marcelo Mayer and a home run by former Yankee Carlos Narvaez to eventually get through eight strong innings in his Fenway debut.
Against the powerful lefty, Payton Tolle, the Yankees were completely silenced for much of the night. A fifth-inning homer by Jazz Chisholm Jr. briefly tied it, but the Yankees entered the seventh inning with a 2-1 deficit, as Tolle exited for a Boston bullpen that would eventually rank as No. 1 in baseball.
But at that point? They were vulnerable. Danny Coloumbe came out for the seventh and allowed three singles to his first four hitters, but he rebounded to strike out Wells to bring them within an out of getting out of it. Hunting a matchup with Rosario, Alex Cora made the move to Greg Weissert with the bases loaded and two out, only for Boone to counter with Bellinger.
In what would be the start of his year of torturing the Red Sox, the legacy Yankee ripped a two-run single to give the Yankees the lead. Three pitches later, Judge followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2. A five-single inning for a team that usually relies on the long ball only further buried the Red Sox in the dread they were in.
Schlittler and Bednar combined to retire the final nine batters they faced to secure the sweep, in which the Yankees allowed three total runs. The rare Fenway sweep sunk the beleaguered Sox to 9-16 and almost certainly served as the final nail in the coffin for Cora, who was unemployed three days later. It’s satisfying to know your team caused a rival to purge an entire coaching staff.
2. Bullpen Holds On For Dear Life on Emotional Day in the Bronx
September 11th vs. NYM
This game kinda sucked, but the only thing that mattered was that the Yankees won the Battle of New York in an emotional night in the Bronx on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. It was one that the Yankees took control of early with a big second-inning blast by Bellinger and a fifth-inning opposite-field blast by Rice against the Mets’ young ace, Nolan McLean.
With a 5-1 lead in the seventh, Carlos Rodón wrapped up a great outing with 6.1 strong innings, but was removed after a one-out single by Carson Benge. The ever-reliable Paul Blackburn entered, but he was one of several Yankees relievers who didn’t have it that night. A walk to Marcus Semien, an RBI single by A.J. Ewing, and a walk to Francisco Alvarez loaded the bases with two outs for Francisco Lindor, the go-ahead run at the plate. Brent Headrick came in, battled a distraction with a streaker on the field, and won a seven-pitch at-bat by catching a scorched comebacker to end the inning.
The drama wouldn’t end there, though. After getting a quick first out in the eighth, Headrick allowed a single to Bo Bichette before issuing back-to-back walks to load the bases again with one out. It forced Boone to go to Bednar earlier than he wanted, but the Yankees’ closer got the last two outs, only allowing one run on a sac fly.
The Mets sent Jack Weisenburger for the ninth to clean things up, but the Yankees added some needed insurance. Singles by García and Jones and a sac bunt by Lombard put two in scoring position with one out to set up McMahon, who blooped a shallow fly ball to left field in front of Juan Soto. Never a good defender, the former Yankee let it drop for an RBI single that made it 6-3.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be easy in the ninth. Ewing blasted a home run to lead off the ninth against Bednar, and Lindor singled with one out to bring the tying run to the plate, who was, of course, Soto. The former Yankee, being relentlessly booed every at-bat, stepped up as the tying run in the Bronx on 9/11 against an All-Star closer. This was the type of baseball you dream of. In a satisfying ending for the Yankees, Soto bounced into a game-ending 3-6-3 double play, partially due to a balky calf that forced him to take it easy with the game on the line. Oh well.
The Yankees didn’t win a game in the month of October this year. Their early exit for the second straight year has ultimately made this season another tremendous failure, but there were meaningful games in September against a hated rival that allowed everyone, regardless of how they felt about the roster or management, to relish in its beauty.
Schlittler dominated in Game 1, and the Yankees blew it open late. That was fun, sure, but the most fun part about playing a rival in the playoffs is the ability to eliminate them. It was a tall task against the MLB’s win leader in Sonny Gray, but the Yankees rode a great start from Max Fried and some questionable managing from Chad Tracy to a late lead.
Up 2-1 in the sixth, the Yankees rallied against two elite guys named Garrett: Crochet and Whitlock. A dropped third strike, stolen base, and error got Spencer Jones to third; he scored on a Lombard RBI single, and the Yankees grew the lead to 5-1 with productive outs by Wells and McMahon. An intentional walk to Rice put two on with two outs for Bellinger. Just as he did to end Cora’s managerial tenure in Boston in April, it was his swing that ended the Red Sox’s season, blowing the game open and turning the final few innings into a party in the Bronx.
There was no better moment than that. No matter what happened after, there’s no more true bliss than that.
Quad Cities' Austin Charles celebrates after an RBI double during a Midwest League West Divisional playoff game against the South Bend River Bandits Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, at Four Winds Field in South Bend, Indiana. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Royals’ High-A affiliate Quad Cities River Bandits had an awesome season. They went 70-57 in the regular season and won the Midwest League West Division in the second half of the season. They went a perfect 4-0 in the playoffs to win the 2026 Midwest League Championship.
There was plenty of good stuff that come from this season. Let’s dive into it.
The good from the position players:
Blake Mitchell had a very mixed bag type of season, with his final slash line being .234/.414/.459. In 381 at bats, he hit 23 home runs and 17 doubles, with 75 RBI, 27 steals. He also walked 113 times and struck out 174 times. So that is a lot of good, but the strike out number is alarming. Mitchell is now 22 years old, and this was his first full season in High-A. He was 25 of 83 throwing out runners or 30%.
Ramon Ramirez, the other River Bandits catcher, had a good season, despite missing two months due to injury. In 372 plate appearances, he hit .279/.362/.477 with 23 doubles, 13 homers, 10 steals, and 39 walks. He was 18 of 76 throwing out runners or 24%.
Jose Cerice, a 21-year-old corner infielder, slashed .272/.391/.371. He hit 12 doubles, 2 triples and 6 homers. He stole 19 bases and drove in 54 runs, while walking 39 times. Cerice is a lesser heralded guy. The Royals signed him when he was just 18 out of Cuba. This was his first time in Quad Cities, I think this might be a sleeper guy to watch.
Derlin Figueroa smashed 26 homers and drove in 89 runs, while stealing 18 bases. He slashed .252/.324/.515. He was acquired from the Dodgers for Ryan Yarbrough back in 2023. I like his game and think he is someone that has potential to monitor.
Asbel Gonzalez, a 20-year-old centerfielder from Venezuela, put up a special season. The Royals signed him right after his 17th birthday. He slashed .262/.358/.314. With just 14 extra base hits, but with 112 hits the whole season. Gonzalez stole 67 bases on 80 attempts. He also drew 52 walks.
I was encouraged by what Zion Rose did in just 71 at bats, slashing .268/.389/.338. He was also 14 of 15 stealing bases. I think he starts in Quad Cities next season but wouldn’t be surprised if he is quickly moved up.
BLAKE MITCHELL WITH THE SWING OF THE SEASON!! We’ve got the lead!! 🤩
Dash Albus, a 24-year-old lefty from Abilene Christian, who the Royals took in the 19th round of the 2024 draft had a good season between Columbia and Quad Cities. He posted a 3.65 ERA over 56.2 innings and struck out 62. He had just a 1.08 WHIP. He walked just 13 guys all season.
Kendry Chourio, the 19-year-old right-handed prodigy was awesome. I do think at the end of the season, they were limiting his pitch count and innings, but it didn’t slow him down too much. On the season, between Columbia and Quad Cities, Chourio threw 90.2 innings, striking out 91 hitters, to the tune of a 2.48 ERA. His WHIP was 0.89. Opponents hit just .195 off him.
Kamden Edge was great out of the bullpen all season. The 22-year-old right hander posted a 4.02 ERA over 56 innings. He struck out 80 batters and had a WHIP of 0.88. He was 4 of 6 in save opportunities. Opponents hit just .147 off him. His stuff is really good.
L.P. Langevin, a 23-year-old righty, was just as good as Edge out of the pen. Langevin, posted a 3.42 ERA over 55.1 innings. He struck out an unreal 106 hitters. His WHIP was 1.19. He was 3 for 4 in save opportunities. He did walk 39 batters, so that is something to work on. Opponents hit just .142 off him.
David Shields was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Year. The 20-year-old lefty was exceptional. He threw 116.2 innings, striking out 139. His ERA was 4.01, and his WHIP was 1.08. Opponents batted just .231 off him. The former 2024 2nd round pick is progressing very nicely.
Jordan Woods, the 22-year-old lefty was good between Columbia and Quad Cities, going 75.1 innings, with a 3.94 ERA. He struck out 98 batters on the season and his WHIP was 1.23. Opponents hit .232 off Woods. Similar to Rose, I think he starts next season in Quad Cities but could quickly be moved to Northwest Arkansas.
Everyone, with the exception of Rose and Woods, I think will start at Northwest Arkansas next season. That was the Royals worst minor league team, and the roster was mostly atrocious. If the Bandits weren’t making a playoff push, I bet some of these guys would’ve been promoted this season.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 12: Patrick Bailey #16 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after hitting a Home Run during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday! The Cleveland Guardians secured an important series lead last night with clutch, late-game hitting and the Milwaukee Brewers’ bullpen continued to dominate in their win.
ALCS Game 2 begins at 5 PM tonight while the NLCS will travel to Los Angeles.
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 11: Isaiah Drake #4 of the Glendale Desert Dogs bats during the game between the Desert Dogs and the Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Surprise, AZ United States. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Yesterday saw limited action in the Arizona Fall League, as only one of the three games on the schedule got played – and that game was shortened to seven innings. However we did get to watch a pair of Atlanta Braves prospects as Isaiah Drake got the start in left field for the Glendale Desert Dogs, with Owen Carey finishing off the game for him.
This game was actually closer and lower scoring than the final line would indicate. Glendale tied this game up at two in the top of the sixth, before a Scottsdale run in the bottom of the sixth gave them the lead. Scottsdale tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, which ended up being the final action in this game that was called after that point.
Isaiah Drake came up for the first time in the second inning and fouled off the first two pitches, a pair of 97 MPH fastballs, before taking a ball low on the third pitch and striking out swinging on an inside slider on the fourth pitch. He came up in the fourth with a runner on second and two outs, and on the fifth pitch of the at bat he hit a 97 MPH exit velocity ground ball to the third baseman to end the inning.
In the sixth inning Drake was pinch hit for by Owen Carey, who would stay in the game as the left fielder until it ended after seven innings. After taking the first pitch for a ball, Carey took a low sinker and hit a 97 MPH exit velocity ground ball to the first baseman
Australia will continue to adjust its batting order where it deems fit after recording a resounding 214-run triumph over the Proteas in the opening Test of the highly anticipated Test series in South Africa.
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) and pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now that the National League Championship Series is back at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Dodgers will have Blake Snell starting on the mound in Game 3 on Wednesday night, followed by Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Thursday.
“It’s just one of those things that you need Snell to go out there and give us some length, give us a typical Blake Snell outing and let us deploy guys with a lead. I know Blake has a bad taste in his mouth from that last outing against the Braves. So you’re going to see a locked-in, focused Snell,” Roberts said Monday night in Milwaukee. “On the other side of things, we’ve got to support him offensively too.”
Snell in his postseason career had a 3.23 ERA with 107 strikeouts and 41 walks in 86 1/3 innings, and he’s allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of his 16 starts. With the Dodgers, Snell has a 3.11 postseason ERA in seven games, including six starts, with 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 37 2/3 innings.
Glasnow in his seven postseason appearances — four starts, three relief appearances — with the Dodgers has a 1.73 ERA in 26 innings, with 30 strikeouts and 16 walks. The team has won all seven games.
“They know me, and I know them. I enjoy having some familiarity with a lineup,” Gasser told reporters in Milwaukee on Monday. “Definitely looking back to the game in August and kind of watching those swings, obviously hitters adjust, but being a good guy in the dugout, watching them right now and seeing how they’ve changed to now and trying to build a plan for them.”
That leaves Game 4 perhaps at least in some fashion for former Dodgers pitcher Dustin May, who pitched a scoreless inning in relief in Game 2 on Monday. Then again, every Brewers relief appearance thus far in the NLCS has been scoreless.
“He could start Game 4, who knows?” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of May. “But he’s got a role on our team right now of pitching and getting outs, and we’ve told him that, hey, we need you to be ready every day to get outs.”
CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 28: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex on September 28, 2026 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James and Jaylen Brown aren’t the only former NBA champions whom the Sixers added to their roster this offseason. Shortly after landing LeBron, they also signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract.
KCP has largely gotten lost in the shuffle of the Sixers’ offseason overhaul, particularly coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons. But he might wind up being their secret weapon both on and off the court.
Caldwell-Pope won a championship alongside LeBron with the 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers, and he added a second ring a few years later with Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets. He was a role player on both of those teams, which should give him a unique perspective to add in the Sixers’ locker room this year. Not only has KCP played with two of the greatest players of this generation, but he’s gotten to see the secret sauce behind two recent title teams.
At the Sixers’ media day, Caldwell-Pope spoke about how important it is for the team to build off-court camaraderie, and how that helped fuel both the 19-20 Lakers and 22-23 Nuggets. LeBron’s back-and-forth trips to New York City might not be helping much in that regard right now, but once the season starts and the Sixers start heading out on extended road trips, they’ll have plenty of chances to bond throughout the 82-game grind.
KCP isn’t just the Sixers’ honorary Kyle Lowry this season, though. There’s a chance that he’ll be able to make an impact on the court, too.
From 2019-20 through 2023-24, Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.7 points per game while shooting 45.0 percent overall and 40.3 percent from deep. Over the past two seasons, he averaged only 8.6 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent overall and 33.3 percent from distance.
At media day, KCP declared that his shot is still “great” and that he did a ton of shooting this past summer to get ready for this season. He also explained why he didn’t experience the success in Orlando and Memphis over the last two years that he did in L.A. and Denver.
“For me, I’m a rhythm player,” he said. “I have to be in a rhythm, being able to touch the ball, being able to feel the ball. Last few teams, that wasn’t happening how I wanted it to happen. But I still got there and played my ass off defensively, gave it my all on both ends.
“But I think here, just playing with these types of guys—Bron, JB, Joel, Maxey—it’s gonna be a lot of open shots, a lot of opportunity to be able to get back to shooting 40 percent. That plays a big part in me shooting 40 percent. I’ve gotta be able to get the ball, be in a rhythm. I think this team is gonna create those opportunities for us.”
Caldwell-Pope underwent surgery in February to “address a misalignment” of his right pinkie finger. He said that was “probably the longest I had ever sat out” throughout his 13-plus-year NBA career, but he added that “my game is still there.”
Since KCP is on a one-year, veteran-minimum deal, this was basically a risk-free signing for the Sixers. Anfernee Simons figures to be their sixth man, while Caldwell-Pope and rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. will battle for any leftover minutes behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. If all of them play well, perhaps they’ll be able to convince head coach Nick Nurse to experiment with some three-guard lineups.
That isn’t the only way KCP could help the Sixers on the court, though. If he puts his recent struggles behind him, he could open the door to a larger midseason shakeup, too.
Simons signed a two-year, $12.3 million contract with the Sixers this summer, which includes a second-year player option. If he stays healthy and plays well, the Sixers might not be able to re-sign him next summer.
Since the Sixers are in a win-now window, they aren’t likely to preemptively dump Simons for draft capital at the trade deadline to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency. But if KCP plays well enough to give them confidence in a Maxey-Edgecombe-KCP-Philon backcourt rotation, the Sixers could use Simons’ $6.0 million salary as a way to solve one of their other roster problems. (Such as, say, backup center?)
Of course, last year’s trade deadline is a great example of how quickly such a trade can backfire. Shortly after the Sixers traded Jared McCain for the first-round pick that they’d later use on Philon along with three second-rounders, Maxey suffered a finger injury that sidelined him for two weeks in March. The Sixers were down to Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, Cameron Payne and Lowry as their only healthy backcourt options.
This year’s Sixers do have Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert on two-way deals as well, and they shouldn’t have to be quite as reliant on their two-way players this season as they were last year. (In other words, they shouldn’t hit their 50-game limit as early.) Either way, their backcourt depth does look like a clear strength for them heading into the season.
If Caldwell-Pope does have a bounce-back year, that could have some quietly huge implications for the Sixers heading into the February trade deadline and the spring.
The NBA regular season is still a week away, but the league is already gearing up for its in-season tournament.
The league on Tuesday unveiled the specialty courts that all 30 teams will use during NBA Cup games this upcoming season.
NBA
All 30 NBA Cup courts for this year’s tournament.
The NBA first installed custom courts during the inaugural in-season tournament in 2023, and it has changed up the design for teams each edition of the competition.
Some court staples have been consistent in recent years, namely the colorful floors and the NBA Cup design at half court and in the paint.
This year’s designs include a handful of new features. There are oversized team wordmarks on both sides of the court, primary logos at center court and the tournament tagline — “30 Teams. 8 Advance. 1 Champion.” — near the 3-point line.
NBA Cup play will begin on Friday, Oct. 30, and run through Friday, Nov. 27, with all 30 teams randomly divided into six groups of five. The winner of each group, along with one additional team in each conference, will advance to the knockout rounds.
Quarterfinal and semifinal matchups will be played in NBA team markets ahead of the NBA Cup Championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday, Dec. 11. It will be the first NBA Cup Championship played outside of Las Vegas.
The NBA regular season is still a week away, but the league is already gearing up for its in-season tournament.
The league on Tuesday unveiled the specialty courts that all 30 teams will use during NBA Cup games this upcoming season.
NBA
All 30 NBA Cup courts for this year’s tournament.
The NBA first installed custom courts during the inaugural in-season tournament in 2023, and it has changed up the design for teams each edition of the competition.
Some court staples have been consistent in recent years, namely the colorful floors and the NBA Cup design at half court and in the paint.
This year’s designs include a handful of new features. There are oversized team wordmarks on both sides of the court, primary logos at center court and the tournament tagline — “30 Teams. 8 Advance. 1 Champion.” — near the 3-point line.
NBA Cup play will begin on Friday, Oct. 30, and run through Friday, Nov. 27, with all 30 teams randomly divided into six groups of five. The winner of each group, along with one additional team in each conference, will advance to the knockout rounds.
Quarterfinal and semifinal matchups will be played in NBA team markets ahead of the NBA Cup Championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday, Dec. 11. It will be the first NBA Cup Championship played outside of Las Vegas.
Manager claims City fans suffering more than players
Captain Rúben Dias: ‘We’re calm. We trust the club’
Enzo Maresca has admitted he would describe Manchester City as “cheats” if he were a Manchester United or Arsenal fan. The manager’s comments came as he suggested it had been harder for City’s supporters to deal with the scandal surrounding the club than it had been for him or the players.
Maresca guided City to an impressive 3-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday in their first game since the club ere found guilty of more than 100 charges related to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. He was asked whether the performance was down to the team being brought closer together by the guilty verdict.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 12: William Contreras #24 and David Hamilton #6 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate with Brice Turang #2 after Turang scores in the third inning during Game Two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
There is no replacement for watching your own team compete in the National League Championship Series. Fans of the San Diego Padres have had the privilege of watching their team compete for a pennant a few times, with their most recent trip pitting them against the Philadelphia Phillies. The team from the National League East knocked off the Padres and advanced to the World Series where the Phillies would fall to the Houston Astros.
This season was supposed to be another opportunity for San Diego to use the strength of the lineup with veterans like Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts and the young superstardom of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill to propel themselves to the game’s summit. That did not happen and the Milwaukee Brewers won the National League Division Series over the Padres with a record of 3-1. The reward for the Brewers was a matchup against the Nationals League West Division champions and two-time defending World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Friars Faithful could sit and wonder about what might have been had a ball not hit the roof, had Mason Miller been able to get one more out and had a ball hit deep to centerfield traveled another foot-and-a-half further in the final game of the NLDS. Once the what ifs have been tallied, the Faithful have to sit back and watch Milwaukee take on Los Angeles.
The NLCS started on Sunday and the Brewers took game one with their top arm Jacob Misiorowski beating one of the manny Dodgers aces Tarik Skubal. Game 2 was supposed to provide an opportunity for Los Angeles to even the series with World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, but William Contreras powered Milwaukee to the win, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead with the series shifting to Los Angeles. Can Milwaukee get two more wins over the next five games, Padres fans and much of the baseball world is hoping so because no one is ready to hear Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talk about how his scrappy team, which everyone doubted came out of nowhere to win the World Series.
After every stunning Scott Boland performance of recent years, many of them in place of an injured Josh Hazlewood, a reasonable question does the rounds: why isn’t Boland the automatic pick in the Test side, and why does Hazlewood take precedence when fit? In truth, Hazlewood has given a dozen years of answers, but the fifth day of the Durban Test allowed him to provide one more reminder with a career-best 6 for 49, overcoming South African resistance to bowl them out for 206, and seal an Australian win by 214 runs.
Boland is good enough for a full-time spot, and may have been influential if picked. But in the side selected, Hazlewood was essential as South Africa blunted his colleagues. In a noticeable dip given his brilliant last few seasons, Mitchell Starc had radar issues: better around the wicket, though without the swerving reverse swing from his last visit to the ground, but over the wicket he often went too steeply across the right-handers, or down the leg side.
The Mets have 10 players eligible for salary arbitration this offseason.
Those players are Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Reed Garrett, Tylor Megill, Christopher Morel, Dedniel Núñez, Cristian Pache, Cionel Perez, Mark Vientos, and Austin Warren.
Once a player is offered arbitration, the team and that player's agent have until a set date -- usually at some point in February -- to come to terms on a new contract. If that doesn't happen, both sides submit salary proposals, and the player's salary is determined by independent arbitrators at a hearing (a timeframe that could be impacted this offseason by the expected lockout).
A team can also offer arbitration to a player and then trade him. So the Mets can tender contracts to players who might not be in their plans.
According to the MLB Trade Rumors algorithm that "looks at the player’s playing time, position, role, and performance statistics while accounting for inflation," here's what the Mets' arbitration-eligible players are projected to make in 2027...
Francisco Alvarez: $4.1 million Brett Baty: $2.5 million Tylor Megill: $2.5 million Mark Vientos: $2.4 million Christopher Morel: $2.1 million Reed Garrett: $1.3 million Cionel Perez: $1.2 million Austin Warren: $1.2 million Dedniel Núñez: $900,000 Cristian Pache: $800,000
If the Mets tender contracts to all of the above players and they receive salaries similar to the projections, it would add roughly $19 million to the payroll.
However, not every arbitration-eligible player is certain to remain with the team.
Alvarez, Baty, Megill, Garrett, Warren, and Núñez feel like close to locks to be offered arbitration.
New York Mets relief pitcher Dedniel Núñez (72) reacts after retiring the side in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
Garrett and Megill missed the 2026 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but both are expected to be valuable pitching depth in 2027 -- and Garrett is under team control through 2029.
Meanwhile, Warren and Núñez (in his first year back from TJS) showed flashes in relief in 2026 and should be part of the calculus entering spring training.
With the non-tender deadline set for Nov. 20, here are four Mets players who could be at risk...
Vientos' offensive decline continued in 2026, as his OPS dipped to .652 (from .702 in 2025 and a career-best .837 in 2024). His batting average (.212) and OBP (.258) were both career worsts, and Vientos' defense remained subpar.
Getting most of his time at first base, Vientos was worth -9 OAA, via Baseball Savant. While Vientos has put in the time working on his defense behind the scenes, it just hasn't translated on the field. And his other main position on the diamond (third base) will likely be blocked by Bo Bichette, who is expected to opt in to his $42 million contract for 2027.
Vientos still possesses serious power, but he just hasn't tapped into it enough over the last two seasons. Add to that his below-average defense, lack of positional versatility, and suboptimal speed, and it makes his inclusion on the 2027 roster a tough proposition.
With Vientos set to earn just $2.4 million next season, it's possible a team in need of right-handed power has interest via trade. If a deal can't be reached before the non-tender deadline, though, expect the Mets to move on.
Mark Vientos / Imagn Images via Reuters Connect/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
INF/OF Christopher Morel
The Mets took a flier on Morel at the end of June after he was released by the Marlins.
Morel wound up playing in 13 games for New York over the summer, slashing just .200/.250/.333 (.583 OPS) in 32 plate appearances.
While Morel is versatile enough to play every position except catcher and pitcher, he is not a good defender at any spot. Meanwhile, his last above-average season with the bat came in 2023.
Projected to make roughly $2 million in 2027, Morel will almost certainly be a former Met by Nov. 20.
LHP Cionel Perez
During a nine-year career with the Orioles, Astros, Reds, Nationals, and Mets, Perez has shown enough to keep getting chances.
Perez had a terrific season for Baltimore in 2022 (1.40 ERA in 57.2 innings) and was also good for the O's in 2023 (3.54 ERA in 53.1 innings), but it's been tough sledding since then. Over the last three years, Perez has a 5.30 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 120.2 innings.
However, Perez was solid for the Mets in 24 appearances over 29.1 innings in 2026, with a 3.99 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP while walking just 2.5 per nine and striking out 10.7 per nine.
Perez also has a fastball that can touch close to 99 mph, so perhaps the Mets roll the dice and see if they can unlock what made him a key cog for the Orioles a few years ago.
OF Cristian Pache
Pache inked a minor league deal with the Mets last December.
He spent the majority of the 2026 season in the minors, getting just eight plate appearances for New York.
Before 2026, Pache -- a career .181/.242/.273 hitter in parts of six big league seasons -- last played in the majors in 2024.
Pache will almost certainly be non-tendered ahead of the deadline or removed from the 40-man roster before then to create room for other players.
NBA
NBA
