SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 04: New manager Jason Kanzler #18 of the Seattle Mariners poses for the camera during a photoshoot at T-Mobile Park on November 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Ben VanHouten/Seattle Mariners/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In case you missed it, the Mariners introduced manager Jason Kanzler in a press conference Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park…and so begins another chapter for the team under the leadership of President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto.
After a roughly month-long search, the Mariners tapped Kanzler who, despite having coached with the Astros and more recently served as the farm director for the Cubs, has never been a manager. Some fans and critics of the team may have hoped for more of a known figure to head the clubhouse, especially considering neither of the first two managers under Dipoto had managerial experience either.
I admittedly haven’t formed a strong opinion on the hire. A lot of this probably sources from lack of information on Kanzler, plus my own default belief that a manager only matters so much. There also weren’t many names publicly considered, and one of those few withdrew their name from contention. The early skepticism that the hire may evoke for some is largely understandable — a 36-year-old with a unique background but lack of managerial experience is a pretty big question mark for a team that’s not only coming off a 76-win season, but also desperate to take advantage of the core that’s taken them closer to a World Series than they’ve ever been. That said, I went into viewing the introductory press conference with an open mind; he’s the new manager, regardless of any opinion I might have before I ever see him leading the team from the top step.
Personally, the thing that struck me most from Kanzler’s first public appearance was his thoughtful answers to the questions from the media. In LL’s Build-a-Manager piece, I talked about modern managers functioning as baseball’s version of a middle manager. From this standpoint, a strong ability to communicate may be the single most essential trait for someone new to the role. Whether it be relating with the players, working with the front office and coaching personnel to optimize in-game decisions, or speaking with the media, communication is always going to be at the forefront. Kanzler, regardless of the level of success he will eventually find in Seattle, seems ready to excel in this aspect of the job. Success on the field will need to accompany, of course, but Wednesday’s presser nonetheless marked a promising start to his tenure.
The full press conference is linked here if you haven’t seen it already. With that, here’s today’s discussion prompt:
What is your first impression of Jason Kanzler following his introductory press conference? Has your opinion on the hire been swayed?
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 11: Corbin Carroll #7 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with Gabriel Moreno #14 after hitting a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Chase Field on September 11, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This morning, the Silver Slugger finalists were announced and the Arizona Diamondbacks have two: catcher Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Corbin Carroll.
Caroll won the award in 2025 and is looking to add to his awards collection. The 26-year-old slashed .239/.328/.467 with 22 home runs in 156 games this year. He also knocked 33 doubles and an MLB-leading 17 triples.
He faces some stiff competition, though, as he is up against Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Chicago Cubs), Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs), Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres), Jordan Walker (St. Louis Cardinals) and James Wood (Washington Nationals). Three of them will take home honors.
Moreno is a two-time Gold Glove winner, but has not yet added Silver to his trophy case. The 26-year-old had an outstanding year at the plate, winning the National League batting title with a .311 average. He also posted an .874 OPS with 16 home runs, alongside one triple and 33 doubles of his own — tying him with Carroll for the team lead.
Moreno faces stiff competition, as he is up against Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, who is the reigning winner. Goodman finished the season with 41 home runs plus a .245 average and .839 OPS.
The winners are set to be announced on Tuesday, November 17.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Austin Wynns #16 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the second inning of the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A serious bout of catcher injuries struck the Atlanta Braves during the first half of the season, and desperate times called for desperate measures. One of those measures, of the band-aid variety, ended up being Austin Wynns, who spent two weeks with the club in June and appeared in six games.
How Acquired
The Braves added Wynns in the middle of the season, while both Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy were down with injuries. They sent cash considerations to the Angels in exchange for Wynns’ services, and designated longtime third-string catcher Chadwick Tromp in a corresponding move. The reasoning was a bit weird, though it was all meant to be a temporary fix anyway: Sandy Leon was getting the bulk of playing time anyway, so the Braves opted to acquire a backup-to-Leon instead of using Tromp in that role for whatever reason.
One silly thing about the Wynns acquisition is that the Braves kind of prompted it with their own DFA of Jonah Heim earlier in the season. The Athletics, who acquired Wynns in a midseason trade in 2025, DFAed him three days after trading for Heim. He was released and signed with the Angels, but didn’t get promoted to their big league team. Three weeks later, the Braves traded cash considerations (which is what they received for Heim) to Anaheim for Wynns.
What were the expectations?
There weren’t any real expectations, to be blunt.
Coming into 2026, the 35-year-old Wynns had a career 74 wRC+ that featured a pretty sizable xwOBA overperformance (.282 wOBA, .265 xwOBA) in 783 career PAs spanning parts of six major league seasons. He had never topped 180 PAs in a single season, nor 1.0 fWAR. He came kind of close in 2025 riding a massive xwOBA overperformance (.365 wOBA, .295 xwOBA), though. He also wasn’t highly regarded defensively, with just one good defensive year (2023) behind the plate and some substantially below-average performance in other seasons.
He wasn’t doing much of anything in 2026, either — a -47 wRC+ (yes, a negative sign) in 43 PAs in Sacramento before getting released. Basically, the Braves acquired a guy who had 0.6 career fWAR in 826 PAs at the big league level.
While it’s not entirely clear what the Braves were thinking in swapping Tromp for Wynns, it was a fairly inconsequential shuffle to try and survive until Baldwin and Murphy returned.
2026 results
Wynns was only with the Braves for two weeks, acquired on June 3, recalled on June 4, and granted free agency on June 16, the day after Baldwin returned from the Injured List.
During his time in Atlanta, he appeared in six games and was 1-for-14 at the plate. He had just one single and no walks, leaving him with a sad .071/.071/.071 slash line that was somehow even worse than his -47 wRC+ with the Athletics. In what would be his final game with the team, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against the Mets. It wasn’t much better behind the plate, where he allowed six stolen bases and didn’t throw a single runner out, and lost nearly a run of defensive value despite barely playing, even after accounting for the massive catcher positional adjustment. In total, he put up -0.3 fWAR in 14 PAs, which by far his worst stint-with-a-team-in-a-season of his career, small sample size and all.
At least the baseball gods threw him a bit of a bone: after he rejected the Braves’ outright assignment and became a free agent, he signed a minor league deal with the Rangers, spent a month playing in their minor league system, and then got promoted for a month on the big league roster. In 32 PAs in Arlington, he somehow managed a .312 wOBA with a .195 xwOBA, and his defense improved-ish. All in all, Wynns finished 2026 with -0.7 fWAR in 89 PAs, but it would’ve been worse without that stint in the Lone Star State. The Rangers outrighted him in August, and he once again elected free agency, and spent the tail end of the season in the minors with the Cubs.
It wasn’t a fun season for Wynns, as he tied his career-worst in fWAR, had a sub-100 PA season for just the third time, and had a career-worst wRC+ (2).
What went right?
Per Statcast, his defense was commensurate with being in the 73rd percentile in blocks above average? That’s about the only good thing you can say for his season, and it’s largely negated by the fact that he was below average in caught stealing above average, framing and pop time.
In somewhat fitting fashion, Wynns’ “best” game as a Brave was the beginning of their downfall — that 6-5, extra-inning loss to the White Sox. Wynns’ hit was a one-out single that put runners on the corners on with one out while the Braves already had a one-run lead. They didn’t end up scoring in the frame, in part due to a fielder’s choice that threw the runner trying to go home out, and, well, you know how that game and the rest of June went for the Braves.
What went wrong?
Not to be harsh, but, pretty much everything. He wasn’t expected to be a plus bat but one could have at least hoped he could’ve improved on his -47 wRC+ from earlier in the year. That’s how you get a career-worst year.
If you had to pick a specific game from his six as a Brave, well, the day after that horrible loss to the White Sox, Wynns really faceplanted. He flew out with the bases loaded and two out in the second. Then he flew out with the go-ahead run on second and two out in the fourth. Then, after the leadoff man reached in the seventh and Wynns represented the tying run, he lined out. He didn’t get another chance in that game, as Eli White pinch-hit for him and drew a walk in the ninth, representing the tying run, but the Braves lost that game, 2-1.
2027 Outlook
With Wynns set to turn 36 in December, it seems quite possible this is the end of the road for his major league career. He may get another chance with a team if they pick up a rash of catcher injuries, but it’s hard to imagine that would be the Braves again. There are also enough catchers out there on the waiver wire that a guy who neither hits nor fields the catcher position particularly well doesn’t seem like anyone’s first choice, but… the Braves did deliberately acquire him last year, so you never know.
Drake Batherson knows a thing or two about being a late bloomer in hockey. But compared to his former junior teammate, Dillon Boucher, the Senators forward was practically an overnight success.
Boucher made his NHL debut Wednesday night at the age of 29 with the Chicago Blackhawks against the Florida Panthers, completing one of the more unlikely roads to hockey's highest level.
Drake Batherson discusses playing on a line with Shane Pinto and Philip Tomasino (Senators YouTube).
It was a moment that didn't go unnoticed by Batherson, who took to Instagram to congratulate his old friend.
Screenshot via Drake Batherson/Instagram.
Batherson and Boucher are former teammates from their days with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
Both players are Nova Scotia natives, but since they played together in the Q nearly a decade ago, their careers couldn't be more different.
Batherson is now in his ninth NHL season. Boucher has been grinding away in Canadian University hockey and then the minors, never giving up on the dream.
It's been quite a road.
Following his time in the Q, according to Hockeydb.com, Boucher spent another season playing Junior A hockey with the Miramichi Timberwolves in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. For most players, that might signal the end of an NHL dream.
But Boucher wasn't finished.
The native of Head of Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, went on to play four seasons of university hockey at Dalhousie, continuing to develop his game while earning an education.
From there, he worked his way into pro hockey, spending two full seasons with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL, where he eventually became team captain. He put up 35 points and 242 penalty minutes in 151 games before making the jump to Chicago's AHL team.
He returned to Rockford to begin this season, chasing the dream that must have still felt like a long shot.
But on Tuesday, he got the call. The Hawks recalled Boucher from Rockford, and he made his NHL debut on Wednesday against the Florida Panthers.
Boucher isn't the kind of player who makes his living putting up offence. Not unlike Hayden Hodgson, he's a rugged, physical forward who brings energy and a willingness to drop the gloves.
Last season, Boucher was involved in a couple of epic brawls with Tyrel Bauer in the AHL. Interestingly, Bauer had a memorable NHL moment of his own Tuesday night, recording a Gordie Howe hat trick while helping spark Winnipeg's historic comeback against Montreal.
For Batherson, as his instagram story shows, watching Boucher reach the NHL must have been satisfying.
Batherson's own road to the NHL wasn't exactly conventional. He was initially passed over in both the QMJHL and NHL drafts before the Sens took a shot on him as a 19 year old in round four of the 2017 draft.
But once Batherson got his opportunity, his career took off pretty quickly during a Sens' rebuild/youth movement. He's now among the league's better-paid players and an established offensive force with the Senators.
But Boucher's trek required patience. A lot of it.
There were no guarantees during his four years at Dalhousie, no assurances during his time in Wichita, and certainly no promises that his time in Rockford would ever lead to the show.
But he kept battling and believing.
And on Wednesday night, at 29 years old, he became an NHL player.
Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel during a game on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Kon Knueppel is right back on the shelf after lasting just six minutes in his season debut.
The promising 21-year-old Hornets wing, who finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting last season, missed the first eight games of the season with a left hamstring injury, and he appeared to aggravate that issue during a loss to the Nets on Wednesday night in Brooklyn, Charlotte’s fifth straight defeat.
The Hornets (3-6) attributed Knueppel’s exit to “soreness in his left leg” and head coach Charles Lee did not have an update after the game.
The Charlotte Hornets say Kon Knueppel will not return to tonight's game due to "soreness in his left leg," likely the same injury that kept him out for the first 8 games of the season. pic.twitter.com/c2yMZ01DpO
He finished with three points, all coming on free throws, and two turnovers.
If Knueppel is going to miss more time, it’s a tough blow for a Hornets team that was one of the biggest surprises last season, going 44-38 a year after finishing 19-63.
Charlotte selected Knueppel No. 4 overall out of Duke in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he finished his rookie season with averages of 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field, including an impressive 42.5 percent from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game.
The Hornets decided to shift course despite their strong 2025-26 campaign, sending LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves as part of a four-team trade that saw Charlotte acquire big man Naz Reid (a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year), along with an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks.
Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel during a game on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Reid has been off to a strong start, averaging 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, but the Hornets have hit a five-game skid after starting the season 3-1.
Brandon Miller, the No. 2 overall pick out of Alabama in 2023, is leading the Hornets in scoring at 22 points per game after averaging 20.2 points in 65 games last season.
But without Knueppel, the Hornets will have a hard time snapping their decade-long playoff drought.
The No. 11 overall pick, who helped Michigan win a national title last season, has quickly provided the franchise hope it can extend its window as a championship contender during the final years of Steph Curry's career. Lendeborg is one of six rookies currently averaging more than 30 minutes per game. There are 17 rookies overall playing at least 15 minutes per appearance, including three second-round picks and one player signed to a two-way contract.
The race to be named rookie of the year and earn a spot on one the league's all-rookie teams is going to be fierce if this many first-year players continue to play significant roles.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking the NBA's rookies throughout the 2026-27 season. Here's how the top first-year players stack up after the opening two weeks:
The No. 1 overall pick missed the first four games of the season with an injury but has looked the part since making his NBA debut. Dybantsa shot 50% from the floor across his first three appearances while providing an immediate scoring punch on the wing for a Washington team that appears ready to push for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He entered Nov. 4 with the best NET rating among all rookies.
The Bulls have been more than five points per 100 possessions better with Wilson on the floor so far this season, one of several early signs he's ready to embrace a leading role in the franchise's rebuild. Wilson's better-than-expected 3-point shooting and defensive activity have expanded an already intriguing skill set. The No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has a 30-point, 14-rebound performance to his credit and recently put together his first three-game streak of 20-plus points, in addition to leading all rookies in steals.
Acuff's shot selection and chemistry with Sacramento's veteran roster remain works in progress, but no rookie has been more productive offensively through the season's first two weeks. The No. 7 pick leads the class in scoring, assists and minutes played while posting at least 19 points in seven straight games, including back-to-back outbursts of 34 and 38 points.
Boozer has quickly become a focal point of the Grizzlies' rebuild, and his diverse skill set has been a major factor in the team's strong start. He is the only rookie with a triple-double this season and leads all first-year players in plus/minus, rebounding and double-doubles while ranking second in assists per game. Few rookies are being asked to shoulder as much responsibility, and none have handled a larger all-around workload more effectively.
Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and Draymond Green have all gushed over Lendeborg's ascension as a potential star on the wing and he's carried the team to a couple wins in recent weeks, including a 37-point explosion on Nov. 1 when Curry and Green weren't in the lineup. Those performances, and Lendeborg's fun-loving interactions with reporters afterwards, have turned him into the talk of the league at times. He's the only rookie who ranks among the top five in his class in scoring, assists, rebounds and field goal percentage and nobody in his class has a better player efficiency rating as of Nov. 4.
Also under consideration: Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz; Trevon Brazile, Denver Nuggets; Meleek Thomas, Cleveland Cavaliers; Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers; Aday Mara, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kingston Flemings, Atlanta Hawks
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 26: Hunter Goodman #15 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a home run in the third inning during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman has been named a Silver Slugger finalist for the second year in a row. Goodman won the award in 2025, and is looking to become the first Rockie to win back-to-back Sluggers since Trevor Story did in 2018 and 2019.
This nomination comes on the heels of Goodman’s monster 2026 that saw him hit 41 home runs — the first Rockie to hit 40+ homers since Nolan Arenado in 2019 — and be named to the All-Star team for the second-straight year. He also hit .245 with a .839 OPS.
Goodman is up against Arizona Diamondbacks’ catcher Gabriel Moreno, who won the National League batting title with a .311 average and hit 16 home runs with a .874 OPS.
The winners are set to be announced on Tuesday, November 17.
Retired NBA forward Carmelo Anthony and actress LaLa Anthony reached a settlement five years after she filed for divorce in 2021, according to court documents.
Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and actress La La Anthony reached a settlement five years after she filed for divorce in 2021, citing irreconcilable differences, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The pair, who broke up in 2017 after seven years of marriage, reportedly informed the court this week of the agreement.
The terms of their settlement are confidential and a judge has yet to sign off on it.
Carmelo Anthony and La La Anthony at the Houston Cougars-Syracuse Orange game during the Players Era Basketball Championship at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 24, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images
La La, 44, and Carmelo, 42, have remained close friends and co-parent their 19-year-old son Kiyan, a sophomore guard at Syracuse.
The elder Anthony became a star in one season at Syracuse in 2002-03, leading the Orange to a national championship.
Both La La and Carmelo have not been in serious relationships since their split.
La La Anthony and Carmelo Anthony attend the “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016. Getty Images
During an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast in October 2022, La La said the marriage started falling apart after Carmelo was traded from the Nuggets to the Knicks in 2011.
“When we lived here [in New York] under all of that [attention], that’s when things became complicated. I think that was kind of the start, now that I look back, that was kind of the start of the demise of the marriage,” La La said at the time.
“It is the hardest with the scrutiny and the media and the press, just everything. It is really hard. That’s not the only reason things didn’t work out, but things got tough with New York … just constantly being under the spotlight and people watching every little thing.”
La La Anthony attends the Airbnb.org Gala in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Matt Baron/BEI/ShutterstockKiyan Anthony, La La Anthony and Carmelo Anthony pose after the Sierra Canyon vs Christ The King boys basketball game at Sierra Canyon High School on Dec. 12, 2022. Getty Images
The former Knicks forward stirred buzz when Racquel Smith — the widow of Will Smith, a former Saints All-Pro defensive end — shared Instagram photos and videos of them together in Saint Tropez in June.
Smith was shot to death in 2016 during a road rage incident.
La La is believed to be single.
Carmelo Anthony shoots during the first quarter of an NBA game at MSG in New York, Feb. 27, 2017. Paul J. Bereswill
Carmelo, who last played with the Lakers in the 2021 season, announced his retirement at age 38 in 2023 following 19 NBA seasons.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2025 in his first year on the ballot.
Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger were two of the Yankees' most consistent hitters in 2026, and they are being recognized for it.
The Yankees sluggers were named finalists for the 2026 Silver Slugger Awards. For the American League, Rice was nominated in the DH category, while Bellinger, naturally, is a finalist for the outfielders.
Rice had his breakout season in 2026, smashing 41 home runs while slashing .264/.363/.534 with an OPS of .897. He was also voted to his first All-Star Game. If Rice wins, it will be his first Silver Slugger Award.
Yordan Alvarez, the front-runner for the AL MVP, is the only other AL finalist in the DH category.
As for Bellinger, he goes up against Cleveland's Chase DeLauter, Detroit's Riley Green, the White Sox's Tristan Peters, Boston's Wilyer Abreu, Seattle's Randy Arozarena, Kansas City's Jac Caglianone, the Angels' Mike Trout and Tampa Bay's Chandler Simpson in the AL outfield category -- three are selected each year.
Bellinger had arguably his most well-rounded season with the Yankees, slashing .264/.338/.429 with an OPS of .768 to go along with 17 home runs. The former NL MVP has already won a Gold Glove this offseason and if he earns a Silver Slugger, it will be his third. The first came in his MVP season of 2019 with the Dodgers and again in 2023, his first year with the Cubs.
Last year, the Yankees had three Silver Slugger wins. Jazz Chisholm Jr. won it for second base, Aaron Judge for the outfield, and the Yankees won Team of the Year honors.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 02: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates with Jaylen Brown #7 during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bulls at Xfinity Mobile Arena on November 02, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers avenged their only loss of the young season with a 112-106 win over the Pistons in Detroit Wednesday.
It was essentially a wire-to-wire win, though it did get a bit dicey at the end. Still, the Sixers’ resiliency in closing out close games remains impressive. They now have the best record in the NBA at 8-1.
Though Jalen Duren remained out for the Pistons, it was another good win for the Sixers, who remain undefeated on the road. Here are some takeaways from the victory.
Jaylen Brown = Winner
Jaylen Brown was a two-way monster in this one. He was on the attack early, dropping 10 points in the first quarter and 13 in the second. He scored at all three levels, going for a coast-to-coast dunk finish over Paul Reed, operating plenty in his office in the midrange and nailing a deep three at the buzzer to close the first. He was 11-of-19 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep, finishing with a game-high 30 points.
Though VJ Edgecombe was the primary defender most of the night, Cade Cunningham saw plenty of Brown as well. They held the All-Star guard to 26 points on 9-of-22 from the field. Not a perfect night, but Cunningham had to work for everything he got.
Brown was great all night, but his biggest contribution came when it mattered most. With 38 seconds left and the Sixers clinging to a 106-102 lead, Cunningham saw an opportunity in transition to fire a triple and make it a one-point game. It was a clean look … until it wasn’t. Brown recovered and came away with a massive block. From there, the Sixers put the game away at the free throw line.
Sure, there are advanced analytics that can measure a guy making “winning plays,” but it’s a difficult thing to quantify. It just shows up on the stat sheet as a block, but it was a game-sealing play — the kind you need to see on the court, not a spreadsheet.
This defense
As of this posting, the Sixers are second in the NBA in defensive rating. While I do think the national narrative about their defense heading into the season was slightly overblown, I wasn’t expecting it to be elite right out of the gate.
The obvious locks were Brown and Edgecombe. Brown has proven to be an elite on-ball defender, while Edgecombe has all the makings of one. LeBron James has seen slippage in recent years on that end, but has been mostly excellent this season. Tyrese Maxey’s defensive growth has continued as he’s developed from a liability to a legitimately impactful defender.
But the biggest reason the Sixers’ defense has flourished is Joel Embiid. He’s moving better than he has in over two years. Though he’s not quite at the level of rim protection he was during his All-Defensive Team days, he’s affecting more shots at the rim. He’s also looked comfortable on the perimeter — hedging, blitzing and even switching onto quicker players.
And we all know rebounding has been a massive issue here in recent seasons. Under Nick Nurse, the Sixers have finished in the bottom five in defensive rebounding percentage the last three years. As of now, the Sixers are ninth in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage (I know, I had to double-check that one myself). Ending possessions has been huge for their defense. Embiid pulled down 15 boards Wednesday. The last time he pulled down 15 or more rebounds in regulation of a regular-season game was Jan. 22, 2024, the night he dropped 70 on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Will this keep up? A lot of that is going to depend on health, but if they continue to play defense like this, just wait until the offense catches up.
This feels real
You just get a feeling about teams early on sometimes. This group at 8-1 — playing defense, making hustle plays, closing out close games, getting along and having fun — feels special. I know, most teams that LeBron plays on feel special, but there’s this focus and drive that I’ve never seen in any Sixers team I’ve covered.
They’re going to hit adversity. An injury or two is sure to pop up. The offense is still in the bottom third of the league. The backup center situation is murky at best.
But man, this feels like a team worth getting excited about.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 22: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Declan Carlile (72) skates with the puck during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on October 22, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Declan Carlile has been a big topic of discussion this season, and especially lately given how he seems to be at the center of a lot of things that go wrong.
Especially in high-leverage situations, in big moments, late in games.
It happened against Utah when Logan Cooley tied the game.
It happened against Vegas when Tomas Hertl won the game.
It has happened so often that Carlile has been on the ice for more goals against during 5-on-5 play this season (19) than any other player on the Penguins roster. The next closest player is Erik Karlsson, who has only been on the ice for 15 goals against despite playing 15 more minutes than Carlile. Nobody else on the team has been on the ice for more than 13 goals against during 5-on-5 play.
Whether that is all Carlile’s fault is certainly up for debate. What is not up for debate is that is a lot of goals.
Given the issues, and the timing of them in a lot of cases, it was naturally a point of discussion with head coach Dan Muse on Wednesday. And Muse had no interest in throwing his defenseman under the bus and put together a very passionate defense of him.
“Declan Carlile is typically the first guy out on that penalty kill every time,” Muse said. “If you go back earlier in (Tuesday’s) game, that same exact play happened and Declan Carlile, he ends up stopping the play. It rolls in there, (goaltender Arturs Silovs) holds onto it. Almost the exact same thing.
“We’re going to talk about this because at the end, it ended up being a goal against. But I think you’re also missing some of those other things. You (media) weren’t complaining about his play on the penalty kill until last night. He was getting the job done, he was out there. If you go through the goals against, there might have been one where we had it marked down in terms of being on him. Either that or last night was the first one. Those things are there.
“If you want to put blame on him, I think it’s a misstep by you (media) and everybody else because there’s also some other things that he’s doing really well. And he’s a guy who played (46) NHL games prior to this year. He’s come in here. Is he taking on bigger responsibilities? He is. Is that part of it? Is that something that sometimes players need in order to grow and get better? It is. There’s going to be times too where, if you want guys to continue to grow, they’re going to be in some situations where — and there’s been plenty of them — it’s become the penalty kill with him this year where he’s come up with a big block or a big clear or a big moment there. Last night wasn’t one of them. So, we learn from it. We get better.
“But you go through the game tape, he was in that same exact moment (earlier) and he had some good plays in the game as well. He’s a guy who’s younger in this league. There’s still plenty of room for growth but I also see there’s really good qualities and good things that he has done as well and he’ll continue to grow.”
I actually like a lot of that answer, and there are a lot of things in there he is completely right about.
(Or, at the very least, things I agree with.)
Specifically the nature of us (media and fans) focussing on the plays that don’t work and ignoring the ones that do. He’s right to point out that Carlile successfully defended a nearly identical play earlier in the game that went largely unnoticed. It went unnoticed because the puck didn’t end up in the back of the net. We even tend to overlook the mistakes that happen that don’t result in a goal. It usually just results in a quick “well he really got away with that one,” comment and then everybody forgets about it like it never happened.
We notice the ones that DO end up in the back of the net, because we notice goals, because goals win and lose games, and then we spend all of our time analyzing what went wrong on that particular play. That same detail isn’t being put into the 15 plays earlier in the game that don’t have that result.
I also don’t expect a coach to publicly throw his player under the bus just because everybody wants a pound of flash to satisfy their anger after a tough loss. Maybe he is being more critical behind closed doors. He probably is. He almost certainly is. But when it comes to facing the public and putting things on the record, most coaches aren’t going to be John Tortorella or Rick Bowness or Mike Babcock and absolutely skewer a guy for being responsible for a goal (or several goals).
Muse also touched on something that is going to drive me nuts this season, even though I wasn’t necessarily expecting Carlile to be one of the subjects of it.
It’s the part where he talks about Carlile entering this season with less than 45 games played in the NHL, taking on a bigger role, and dealing with mistakes and struggles that come with that.
That is something that I don’t think a lot of Penguins fans are prepared for, especially as the team has an eye on the future and starts working in younger players.
Even though Carlile is 26 years old, he’s still relatively unproven as an NHL player, and especially as a defenseman being tasked with playing big minutes for the first time ever. Inexperienced players, whether they are at a young age or simply haven’t played much in a certain role at a certain level, are going to make mistakes. If you want the Penguins to get younger, play younger players, and put younger players into bigger roles, you can’t just immediately toss them aside the second something doesn’t work.
Sergei Murashov is going to have some crappy games this season. It doesn’t mean he stinks and won’t be good.
Ville Koivunen is going to make mistakes. He hasn’t even played a full season’s worth of NHL games. It doesn’t mean he won’t or can’t be a good NHL player.
Ben Kindel is going to make some mistakes. His age still ends with “teen” and
If you’re expecting these guys to just show up and immediately play clean hockey from the start, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. You can’t have it both ways. If you want to see the development, you have to experience the growing pains. It’s been a long time since we’ve had to do this here.
Even though Carlile isn’t really coming from the same place as them as a prospect, he’s still a guy with limited NHL ice time playing a role and minutes he’s never played before. There are going to be mistakes.
The question you have to ask, especially with a player like Carlile, is whether or not there is an upside here that is worth playing through those growing pains. Maybe there is. Carlile was basically replacing Parker Wotherspoon this season, not only in terms of role, but also fitting the same profile of a mid-20s player with limited NHL experience that was waiting for a bigger role. As good as Wotherspoon turned out to be last season by the end of it, he did have some mishaps early in the year. There were some rocky moments before he really started to solidify himself in that role. He was also two years older than Carlile with about 50 more games of NHL experience. Does that mean Carlile is destined to put it all together the same way and figure it out? Absolutely not. But Muse isn’t wrong about the process.
Having said that….
That doesn’t mean the criticism of Carlile and his usage is off-base at this point. Results are what they are, and you can’t hide from it. It also doesn’t mean you can’t make adjustments based on situations. If you see a guy that keeps getting beat in high-leverage roles or high-leverage situations (and there is a trend here with Carlile in those moments), you can pull them back from for a bit. It doesn’t mean you never revisit it. It doesn’t mean they never get a chance at it. It just means you try something different if Plan A is not working.
A young player can sit for a game or two and get a different perspective. It doesn’t have to be a punishment. It can be a reset and a fresh set of eyes. It can simply be giving somebody else a different role and a different opportunity.
Carlile has not played as well as hoped. Maybe he never will. You are right to be critical of that. You are right ot want to see different players on the ice in a big moment in the closing minutes. Maybe you should see a different player in that spot the next time it arises. Dan Muse is also right to have a bigger picture viewpoint of it and defend his player the way he did.
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Bobby Witt Jr. #7, Carter Jensen #22 and Jack Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals look on during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Royals had a disappointing season as a team, but some individual players stood out and could be recognized this offseason. Bobby Witt Jr., Carter Jensen, and Jac Caglianone were named finalists for the 2026 Silver Slugger Awards, with winners to be announced on November 17.
The Royals are one of five teams with at least three finalists, joining the White Sox (four), Tigers, Brewers and Cubs (three each).
Witt is looking to make it three consecutive Silver Slugger Awards after winning in 2024 and 2025. No Royals player has ever won the award in three consecutive seasons, and the only AL shortstops to ever win the award three consecutive years are Cal Ripken (1983-86), Alex Rodriguez (1998-2003), and Derek Jeter (2006-09). Bobby hit .281/.359/.441 with 18 home runs, 33 doubles, 94 runs scored and 45 stolen bases in 143 games this season. His 7.0 fWAR ranked second in the majors, trailing only Pete Crow-Armstrong. Among American League shortstops, Witt led the position in hits, doubles, batting average, on-base percentage and stolen bases. He is up against Zach Neto of the Angels and Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers.
Jensen is a finalist after an impressive rookie campaign in which he hit .239/.323/.467 with 27 home runs, 35 doubles and 81 RBI in 149 games. Among AL catchers, he ranked first in runs scored and doubles, tied for first in home runs and second in RBI and walks. His 27 home runs set a Royals franchise record for a rookie, surpassing Bob Hamelin’s 24 in 1994. His 64 extra-base hits were also the most ever by a rookie catcher in major league history, breaking the previous record of 61 set by Mike Piazza in 1993. If Jensen wins, he would become just the second Royals catcher to earn the award, joining Salvador Perez, who has won five times (2016, 2018, 2020-21 and 2024). He would also become just the fifth rookie catcher to win a Silver Slugger, joining Benito Santiago, Matt Nokes, Craig Biggio and Piazza. He faces Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler.
Caglianone is a finalist after hitting .289/.340/.494 with 23 home runs, 32 doubles and 75 RBI. His .289 batting average ranked fourth in the American League, while his .494 slugging percentage ranked sixth and his .834 OPS ranked ninth. Caglianone hit .411/.429/.684 in the month of August and was named AL Player of the Month Caglianone also showed off his prodigious power, averaging 416 feet on his home runs and participating in the Home Run Derby. If Caglianone wins, he would become just the second Royals outfielder to earn a Silver Slugger, joining Willie Wilson, who won the award in 1980 and 1982. Three outfielders will be chosen, with Caglianone up against Wilyer Abreu of the Red Sox, Randy Arozarena of the Mariners, Cody Bellinger of the Yankees, Chase DeLauter of the Guardians, Riley Greene of the Tigers, Tristan Peters of the White Sox, Chandler Simpson of the Rays, and Mike Trout of the Angels.
Silver Slugger finalists and winners are selected by managers and coaches, who vote for players at each position in their league. Voting considers a combination of offensive statistics, including OPS, OPS+, home runs, RBI, batting average, total bases and runs, along with the voters’ overall impressions of each player’s offensive value.
American League Finalists
Catcher: Dillon Dingler (Detroit Tigers), Carter Jensen (Kansas City Royals)First Base: Pete Alonso (Baltimore Orioles), Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox)
Second Base: Kody Clemens (Minnesota Twins), Chase Meidroth (Chicago White Sox)
Shortstop: Kevin McGonigle (Detroit Tigers), Zach Neto (Los Angeles Angels), Bobby Witt Jr. (Kansas City Royals),
Third Base: Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays), Miguel Vargas (Chicago White Sox)
Outfield: Wilyer Abreu (Boston Red Sox), Randy Arozarena (Seattle Mariners), Cody Bellinger (New York Yankees), Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals), Chase DeLauter (Cleveland Guardians), Riley Greene (Detroit Tigers), Tristan Peters (Chicago White Sox), Chandler Simpson (Tampa Bay Rays), Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels)
Designated Hitter: Yordan Álvarez (Houston Astros), Ben Rice (New York Yankees)
Utility: Sam Antonacci (Chicago White Sox), Ezequiel Duran (Texas Rangers), Kevin McGonigle (Detroit Tigers)
Team Award: Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Finalists
Catcher: Hunter Goodman (Colorado Rockies), Gabriel Moreno (Arizona Diamondbacks)
First Base: Jake Bauers (Milwaukee Brewers), Alec Burleson (St. Louis Cardinals), Matt Olson (Atlanta Braves), Rafael Devers (San Francisco Giants)
Second Base: Brandon Lowe (Pittsburgh Pirates), Brice Turang (Milwaukee Brewers)
Shortstop: CJ Abrams (Washington Nationals), Elly De La Cruz (Cincinnati Reds), Otto Lopez (Miami Marlins)
Third Base: Alex Bregman (Chicago Cubs), Max Muncy (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Outfield: Pete Crow-Armstrong (Chicago Cubs), Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks), Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers), Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs), Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres), Jordan Walker (St. Louis Cardinals), James Wood (Washington Nationals)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 03: Adrian Morejon #50 of the San Diego Padres pitches during Game One of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Much of the focus this off-season for the Phillies (around the impending lockout, of course) will be how the team improves their lineup, baserunning and defense.
All of those areas are vitally important. No, they won’t transform themselves into the Milwaukee Brewers overnight, nor should they. But they do need to improve significantly in some vital areas in order to be a more consistent unit, and one that is capable of producing results against better pitching.
While that may suck up most of the oxygen in the room, no one should be sleeping on the bullpen. Sometimes, ‘pen moves can feel minor because oftentimes, you’re trading for a guy you’ve never heard of, or signing someone on a relatively inexpensive one-year deal.
One of Dave Dombrowski’s strongest moves last off-season was a trade with the Kansas City Royals in which he dealt away his best left-handed reliever, Matt Strahm, in exchange for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan.
The move was a gamble, in that Strahm had been a stalwart in the ‘pen since his arrival as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season. Over three years he posted a 2.71 ERA across 188 appearances and a 0.955 WHIP, earning an All Star berth in 2024, but Strahm’s stuff was fading by the end of 2025, and his time in Philadelphia ended when Teoscar Hernandez hit his go-ahead three-run home run off Strahm in Game 1 of the 2025 NLDS.
Strahm’s 2026 season was a disaster with Kansas City, perhaps the worst by any relief pitcher. It’s difficult for a reliever to get enough opportunities to compile -1.3 WAR, but his 7.32 ERA and 7.14 FIP were not fluky. Dombrowski’s timing was spot on.
But that doesn’t mean the Phillies didn’t miss vintage Strahm in their bullpen last year. They did. Dombrowski entered the season pinning his hopes on Jose Alvarado bouncing back from injuries and an 80-game PED suspension the season before, Tanner Banks repeating a surprisingly successful ‘25 season, and Tim Mayza or Kyle Backhus being the No. 3 lefty out of the ‘pen.
It didn’t work. The team’s 5.12 ERA from left-handed relievers was 2nd-worst in the Majors. They allowed a league-worst .277 batting average last season, and only four other teams saw their lefty bullpen options give up more home runs than the Phils.
So it’s no surprise they are entering this off-season desperate to make fixes. They re-signed their lone effective left-handed reliever, Tim Mayza, to a one-year deal. They’ll need at least one more, and maybe two.
The highest-profile arm is San Diego’s Adrian Morejon, who posted a 2.83 ERA and a 1.9 WAR last season for San Diego. Over the last three years, he’s been worth 5.6 WAR and has a 2.58 ERA in 211 games. He’s a high-velocity, high-strikeout pitcher who will get a big-money contract from someone. He’s the best relief pitcher on the free agent market and would form a dynamic 1-2 punch with Duran at the end of games.
Despite all that, there are a number of reasons why a Morejon signing is unlikely. MLB Trade Rumors is predicting a five-year, $80 million deal. Dombrowski has never given a relief pitcher more than a two-year contract since joining the Phillies. Not only that, Jhoan Duran is slated to make around $11-12 million in his final year of arbitration. It’s likely that, if Dombrowski is going to give a relief pitcher a big-money contract, it will be Duran. There is little chance the team will put that kind of cash into just two relief pitchers, and an even smaller chance the team will give Morejon a larger contract to be a set-up guy than their incumbent closer will earn this season. That could create some uncomfortableness in the clubhouse.
Phillies fans know Alex Vesia quite well. The 30-year-old long-time Dodger was a thorn in their side during the 2025 playoffs. Despite not being a hard thrower, his arm angle and delivery make him difficult for left-handers to hit. As such, he has a 2.45 ERA over the last three seasons, piling up 184 innings and 207 appearances. His overall numbers remain good, but his walk rate did jump to 13.5% a season ago, and there are worries any further loss in velocity could make him more homer-prone. Still, the two-year, $26 million contract estimated by MLBTR is more in line with what the Phils may be willing to pay their top left-handed option.
Another potential is Houston’s Steven Okert. As a 34-year-old, he came out of nowhere for the Astros in 2025 and, over the last two seasons, has a 2.58 ERA and 3.8 WAR in 136 games. He also doesn’t throw hard, averaging just 91.2 mph on his four-seam fastball. His specialty is generating a lot of infield flies. Last season he had a 28.3% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk rate, and despite his extreme fly ball tendencies, he’s managed to avoid getting deluged with dingers. His two-year contract is projected at $14 million.
The remaining relievers are all likely gettable on one-year contracts, so it could make sense for the Phillies to add multiples if they choose not to invest on the higher end. Sean Newcomb has had a terrific last two years, putting up 1.8 WAR and a 2.73 ERA for the Red Sox and A’s in 2025 and a 2.0 WAR/3.09 ERA in 60 games for the White Sox last season. His fastball averaged 94.4 mph last year, placing him in the 49th percentile, and he doesn’t generate much chase, but he’s a ground ball guy who was good against lefties (.632 OPS allowed) and right-handers (.637 OPS) last year.
Cincinnati’s Brock Burke has also had a solid two-year run, with identical 1.3 WAR seasons each of the last two seasons. In 2025 with the Angels, he posted a 3.36 ERA and last year for the Reds, he was the most used relief pitcher in the National League, with a league-leading 77 appearances, in which he put up a 2.30 ERA. He was in the 89th percentile in hard-hit rate, averaged 95.5 mph on his fastball and generated a 28.7% whiff rate that was in the 76th percentile. He will walk some guys (12.7%), but would be a terrific addition on a one-year deal.
Let’s talk a minute about JoJo Romero, the former Phillies reliever who became an extremely effective and consistent reliever for the Cardinals and, last season, for the world champion Brewers. Over the last four years, he has a 3.04 ERA in 212 games and, between St. Louis and Milwaukee, had a 3.36 ERA in 56.1 innings in ’26. He’s a sinker/sweeper pitcher with a lower-than-average fastball velo, but is an elite ground ball thrower, ranking in the 88th percentile with a 51.2% ground ball rate. While lefties actually did better against him than righties last year, he’s traditionally been very tough on left-handers. He will be just 30 years old in 2027.
There is also A.J. Puk. If the Phils are looking for a potential high-end guy on a cheaper deal, Puk is a good candidate for a potential bounceback. He didn’t pitch at all last year due to UCL surgery and appeared in 8 games in 2025. But from 2022-24 he had a 3.38 ERA in 182 games with 22 saves and 242 strikeouts in 194.1 innings. His Baseball Savant page for 2024 is littered with red, upper-tier numbers across the board. If he can be had on a low-cost, one-year deal, he’s absolutely a pitcher worth taking a chance on if the medicals come back clean.
The Phillies need to take this area of the team as seriously as fixing the offense. The blame for their postseason failures dating back to 2023 are evenly split between a non-functional offense and a bullpen that hasn’t converted a save opportunity since Game 4 of the NLDS against the Braves in ‘23 (Strahm).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run, his 30th home run of the season, in the third inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 24, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Something curious is happening and I can’t quite figure out why. Ever since the World Series ended, there’s been a new source of smoke almost every day about the Red Sox trading for a shortstop. As best I can tell, it started on the morning of Halloween, when Rob Bradford made this post:
One name that should interest Red Sox followers: Elly De La Cruz. Red Sox showed fairly significant interest before the trade deadline.
Then the following day, Jim Bowden — who should always be taken with a grain of salt — added CJ Abrams to the list of Red Sox trade targets along with doubling down on the De La Cruz rumors.
“The Red Sox will also continue to call the Nationals regarding a possible CJ Abrams trade and the Reds if Cincinnati decides to move Elly De La Cruz. Either way, expect them to be aggressive with the aim of adding at least a bat or two.”
Now in the last 36 hours, there’s also been rumblings of the Otto Lopez rumors. Yesterday on the Felger & Mazz program, Jimmy Stewart even said he would prefer Lopez to De La Cruz because De La Cruz is “more sizzle than steak.”
This isn’t the first time the Red Sox have been connected to Lopez either. Back at the deadline, Jeff Passan even floated a deal that centered around Lopez and Liam Hicks from the Marlins before the Sox eventually landed on Adley Rutschman.
The Red Sox are going big at the trade deadline, per @JeffPassan.
Floats an Otto Lopez + Liam Hicks deal, but it’ll be costly.
“As of now, the Red Sox are juggling dozens of balls. They'll cull those in the coming days and are among the teams likeliest to make a decisive move.” pic.twitter.com/r9a9eJHmK8
But as we’ve been learning recently, the Marlins don’t seem interested in playing ball here, so we’ll have to wait and see if this part of the conversation has any sticking power.
The Marlins asking price for Otto Lopez at the deadline was the “most insane shit ever” and they “probably put a higher ask on him than the Reds put on Elly”, per @mikeaxisa
Anyway, while we’re waiting, I’d like to suggest a name I’d be interested in seeing as the new Red Sox shortstop going forward: Franklin Arias. (My sources indicate that Worcester is willing to move him for a far cheaper price than any of the trade packages involving De La Cruz, Abrams, or Lopez from Cincinnati, Washington, or Miami.)
But seriously, why are the majority of the Red Sox rumors out of the offseason gate centered around shortstop?
I understand why this was the case in July: Arias wasn’t ready for a postseason run in 2026, question marks surrounded Trevor Story’s return (something I got wrong), and Andruw Monasterio can’t hack defensively at short. So yeah, given what we thought the Red Sox might be able to do in October off the back of the 15-game winning streak, it made sense to go nuts.
But now that 2026 is over and our eyes are centered on whenever baseball returns in 2027 (or beyond), why is Franklin Arias not the plan moving forward? He’s the No. 2 prospect in the sport! And just to be clear here, we’re not talking within the Red Sox system, we’re talking among all 30 teams in baseball. He is, BY FAR the best thing the Red Sox have going down on the farm right now (their only other guy in the top 100 is Justin Gonzales, who’s only played 18 games above High-A and ranks No. 71).
Any furthermore, I don’t think people truly appreciate how far Arias is tracking ahead of where Marcelo Mayer was in recent seasons. In Double-A Portland, Arias posted a .952 OPS in 380 plate appearances (many in horrible, wintry, early season conditions). Mayer meanwhile put up a .763 OPS in 524 plate appearances in Portland.
In Worcester, it appears a little bit closer (Arias has an .894 OPS there to Mayer’s .835) until you take into account that Arias achieved that line a full two years young than Mayer (his age 20 season compared to Mayer’s age 22 season). And also, by all accounts, the defense isn’t close either. Arias is far superiors.
So I guess my question is: Why isn’t Arias being hyped as the shortstop of the future? Did the Mayer experience just burn people to such a degree they now think Arias will turn out the same way because he plays the same position and that Roman Anthony will have the same personality because they were friends? I can’t believe I’m saying this, because the opposite is true 99 percent of the time, but I feel like this fan base is now underrating our potential future stars.
Franklin Arias turns 21 later this month. Roman Anthony will still be just 22 on Opening Day (if Opening Day happens on time), and the Red Sox control each of them for at least the next six seasons (probably more) at a reasonable price. Why isn’t this being hyped as the future or “the A-Team” if you want to get cute?
According to these rumors, the Red Sox need a shortstop and a big bat. Except for the fact, they may already have these things — Cost controlled, young, and with the ability to get better. Franklin Arias is already a better defensive shortstop right now than De La Cruz will ever be. Despite a disappointing 2026, Roman Anthony already has a higher career OPS than De La Cruz at the major league level, and is two years young.
So, I have to wonder, what are we even doing here? The last three teams standing in the MLB postseason this year ranked 22nd (Rays), 27th (Guardians) and tied for 28th / 29th (Brewers) in home runs. Other than Junior Caminero, who went deep 42 times, not a single other player on any of these teams had more than 26 home runs.
The Red Sox ranked 26th in home runs this year, so they fit right in, and while I understand and support the idea of more power in the lineup, I don’t think it needs to come from shortstop, and there’s no way in hell I’d give up on Anthony at this stage of his career.
But at the same time, these rumors aren’t coming from nowhere, so I have to wonder what’s going on. Are the Red Sox about to give up on a promising future mere moments away from when it’s about to pay dividends, because that’s largely what these rumors feel like in recent days. If that happens,, and either of these guys pan out elsewhere, I’ll be furious for years to come. There’s nothing worse than waiting years for something potentially great and then bailing on it last minute. If that happens, the dreams of the Red Sox future will quickly turn into a nightmare.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates a run with Max Muncy #13 against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on September 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A pair of Dodgers are in the mix for a Silver Slugger Award in 2026. Max Muncy and Shohei Ohtani are one of two finalists at third base and designated hitter, respectively, in the National League, announced on Thursday morning.
Silver Slugger Awards, given annually to the top offensive players at each position in each league, are voted on by managers and three coaches from each team in their respective leagues.
Ohtani led National League designated hitters in on-base percentage (.377), OPS (.889), wRC+ (139), doubles (26) and stolen bases (11). Despite not hitting a home run after August 18 as he battled left knee and right biceps injuries, Ohtani’s 30 home runs still ranked second among National League DHs.
Ohtani started 134 games as designated hitter, and was one of only four NL players to start at least 100 games at DH this season, along with Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies (147 starts), Iván Herrera of the St. Louis Cardinals (108), and Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers (106).
Schwarber is the other NL DH in the top two in voting for a Silver Slugger Award. Schwarber tied for the major league lead with 45 home runs and hit .232/.354/.503 with a 130 wRC+, 20 doubles, 105 walks, 97 RBI, and 95 runs scored.
Ohtani has four Silver Sluggers on his mantel, including 2024and 2025 with the Dodgers in addition to 2021 and 2023 with the Angels. He was also a “finalist” at designated hitter in 2022 as well.
Muncy played in a career-high 149 games this season after two seasons with long stints on the injured list. He led all NL third baseman in OPS (.837), slugging percentage (.490), and wRC+ (129), hitting .252/.348/.490 with 29 home runs and a career-best 27 doubles.
Alex Bregman of the Chicago Cubs is the other NL third baseman in the top two of voting for a Silver Slugger Award. He hit .265/.355/.464 with a 128 wRC+, 28 home runs, 33 doubles, and 76 walks.
