The Buffalo Sabres were eerily silent over the summer, in spite of losing a few key pieces from the club that made the playoffs, won the Atlantic Division, and advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. GM Jarmo Kekalainen is currently betting on youngsters such as Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn and Jiri Kulich to improve on their production to make up for the 44 goals lost by the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram.
The club currently has just over $4 million in available cap space entering the season, leaving Kekalainen the flexibility to jump on an evolving situation with another NHL club. The Sabres have long been connected to Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but the odds of their obtaining the multi-Vezina Trophy winner have decreased since the draft, mostly due to goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s trade protection kicking in.
There has been no chatter connecting Buffalo to Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (since they are not on his three-team trade list, and since the Sabres are loaded with players who can play up the middle), or to RFA blueliners Simon Edvinsson(DET) or Alexander Nikishin(CAR), but an opportunity for Kekalainen could present itself based on the current situation with the Columbus Blue Jackets and RFA center Adam Fantilli.
Where will the Sabres turn if they struggle offensively after the departure of Alex Tuch?
The 21-year-old is coming off second straight 50+ point season and is looking to follow the trend of youngsters making big money out of their entry-level deal. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast,
Fantilli is looking for a big raise on a long-term deal, which could be in the neighborhood of the $13.5 million that Anaheim paid 41-goal winger Cutter Gauthier last week.
Once Columbus gets Fantilli signed, GM Don Waddell will have to plan accordingly to manage his salary cap, which could mean moving a player out. Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko is someone Kekalainen drafted as GM in Columbus and is entering the final year of his three-year bridge deal at a $3.85 million AAV. The 25-year-old has exceeded the 20-goal mark each year, with a career-high 31 goals in 2024-25.
Marchenko indicated during the summer that he would not be staying with the Blue Jackets past the remaining two years of control (he is eligible for arbitration next summer), but with him on an undervalued cap hit, Waddell has to calculate whether he can afford to re-sign the winger, if he is open to signing an extension, or his goal is to walk to unrestricted free agency in 2028.
Montreal was rumored to be a potential destination, but the signing of veteran Chris Kreider may have made that less likely. The Sabres may need to add a scorer to replace Tuch’s production if their young players cannot fill the gap, but that is a move that will most likely be made by both clubs at the halfway mark of the season, when each team knows more about their respective situations.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 15: Blade Tidwell #46 of the San Francisco Giants delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on September 15, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Minnesota Twins to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Blade Tidwell, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.56 ERA, 4.75 FIP, with 42 strikeouts to 21 walks in 53.1 innings pitched. His last start was in Tuesday’s 10-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, in which he allowed two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk in six and two thirds innings
He’ll be facing off against Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.74 ERA, 4.80 FIP, with 107 strikeouts to 39 walks in 125.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Twins’ 5-4 extra innings win over the New York Yankees last Wednesday, in which he allowed just two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in six innings.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 21: Detroit Tigers Ben Malgeri (53) celebrates his home run with teammates during game between Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers on September 21, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Tigers got their week going in high-scoring fashion with a 9-2 victory over the Nationals.
The postseason hunt might be over for the Tigers this season, but there was still baseball left to play, and hopefully more games to win in the final week of the season. They opened the week with a three-game series against the Nationals, and for the first game we got to see highly touted rookie River Ryan, a main piece of the Tarik Skubal trade, in his Tigers debut. He was up against DJ Herz for the Nationals.
Ryan got things underway nicely in his debut with a three-up, three-down inning, including striking out the first batter he faced on a nasty changeup. Gleyber Torres walked to open the home half, then on a wild pitch from Herz, he advanced to second. Hao-Yu Lee hit a ground-rule double, bringing Torres home and putting the Tigers on the board early.
Ben Malgeri doubled, but two outs followed, leaving him stranded. We must also acknowledge how savage the camera and production crew for the Tigers are because of this.
Jason Benetti gets absolutely roasted by his own production crew with the camera cut after his Austro-Turkish War reference. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/nXPsCi4LE7
In the second, Dylan Crews got a one-out single, then Jorbit Vivas walked to put two men on. But then next two batters were out, getting Ryan out of the very minor jam. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Jacob Young doubled to start the second. With two outs there was a pause in play as Abimelec Ortiz needed to walk off an uncomfortable foul. When he finally came back he lobbed a blooper that looked like it might drop, but Malgeri swept in to get the final out of the inning.
That was all she wrote for Ryan, who was always going to be on a short leash for his debut game. He went 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K on 43 pitches. He had a strong fourseam and sinker pairing, with really good differentiation between the two. Despite giving up three hits, he showed solid command of a deep mix of high quality pitchese and should be a nice addition to the rotation with frontline starter upside. Just stay healthy, River.
Valencia got a two-out double in the bottom of the inning, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him in.
Keider Montero replaced Ryan in the fourth inning. He gave up a one-out walk to Dylan Crews, but then got the next two batters out in order. In the bottom of the inning Dingler took a leadoff walk, but one out later, it was Javier Baez who got to play game hero, with a two-run homer to left.
In the fifth, Young got a one-out single, but the Nationals weren’t able to turn it into anything. Up against reliever Luis Perales, Riley Greene got a one-out walk in the home half, then Valencia got his third double of the night. Ben Malgeri then hit a three-run homer, taking the Tigers to a 7-0 lead.
Dillon Dingler doubled off the outfield wall in a hit that looked awfully close to leaving the park, but there was no doubt about the ball going over the fence when Spencer Torkelson homered to bring two more runs in.
Baez drew a walk, but two outs followed and the Tigers went back to their dugout after extending their lead to 9-0.
In the sixth, the Nationals went 1-2-3. In the bottom of the inning Lee hit a leadoff single, but the next three batters went down in order to quickly end the threat.
The Nationals once again went three-up, three down in the top of the seventh. Josiah Gray was the new Nationals pitcher for the home half and Dingler got a single with a little thanks to second base, where the ball hit and bounced safely into the outfield. His good luck swiftly ended when Torkelson grounded into a double play. A pinch-hitting Zach McKinstry ended the inning with a lineout.
Drew Sommers came in for the eighth. James Woods got a one-out single, and then with two outs a pinch-hitting Yohandy Morales homered for the Nationals’ first two runs of the night. They’d have to settle for just those as the next out ended the inning. Lee got a two-out double in the bottom of the inning but the Tigers weren’t able to bring him home.
Beau Brieske came out to close things down for the Tigers in the ninth, and he did just that, getting the side out in order. The Tigers claimed victory for the first game of the series.
The Colorado Avalanche couldn’t overcome a sluggish start Monday night, falling 3-1 to the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre in their second preseason game.
Gabriel Vilardi led Winnipeg offensively with a goal and two assists, while Josh Morrissey added two assists. Stuart Skinner stopped 31 of Colorado’s 32 shots to help the Jets secure the victory.
Georgii Merkulov scored Colorado’s lone goal, with Fabian Lysell picking up an assist. Scott Wedgewood stopped 13 of 14 shots before giving way to Ilya Nabokov, who allowed two goals on five shots in relief.
The result was the exact opposite of what occurred in Colorado’s first preseason game Sunday, when the Avalanche defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Colorado was outshot in that contest, but Monday brought a different story: The Avalanche held a commanding 32-19 edge in shots against Winnipeg and still came away on the wrong side of the score.
If there was one familiar theme, however, it was the power play. Colorado went 0-for-3 with the man advantage, an all-too-familiar struggle that plagued the Avalanche throughout last season and remains an area in need of improvement.
First Period
The Jets earned the game’s first power play when Brett Kulak was whistled for hooking just past the midway point of the opening period.
The ensuing man advantage put Colorado’s penalty kill under pressure as Winnipeg peppered Wedgewood with shots, but the Avalanche held firm. Alex Gagne got in front of one attempt, while Parker Kelly blocked two more, including one that shattered his stick on impact. Both players showed the kind of willingness to sacrifice their bodies typically associated with playoff hockey, helping Colorado weather what was otherwise a dangerous power play from the Jets.
The Avalanche’s play began to unravel, however, as the period wore on. Colorado struggled to win defensive-zone faceoffs, chased the puck around its own end and committed several dangerous turnovers and errant passes in front of Wedgewood. The mistakes forced the goaltender to work far harder than necessary, leaving him to make saves from awkward angles while dealing with a steady barrage of shots.
Noah Juulsen provided another bright spot defensively, using his stick effectively to deflect passes and poke pucks away to disrupt Winnipeg’s offensive possessions. He also had a few questionable passes that created unnecessary danger, but his ability to break up plays helped Colorado limit some of the Jets’ opportunities.
Eventually, the pressure caught up with Colorado.
With 1:05 remaining in the period, Vilardi found space in the slot and ripped a one-timer past Wedgewood, giving Winnipeg a 1-0 lead and capping a rough stretch for the Avalanche in their own zone.
Winnipeg finished the opening period with a 9-4 advantage in shots, leaving Colorado with plenty to clean up heading into the second.
Second Period
The Avalanche began the second period trailing by a goal, but there was no shortage of offensive activity.
Gagne generated Colorado’s first significant chance of the period with a sharp wrist shot, but Skinner snared it with his glove and appeared to have a few words for the forward after the whistle.
Colorado soon went to the power play when Winnipeg forward Davis Burnside was called for hooking. Instead of establishing sustained pressure in the offensive zone, however, the Avalanche found themselves on their heels. Cole Koepke forced a turnover that sent Winnipeg the other way, and the Jets quickly generated three shots on Wedgewood before Colorado could regain control. The veteran netminder turned aside all three to keep the Avalanche within one.
The physicality then escalated, resulting in matching minor penalties for both teams. Lysell was whistled for cross-checking Mario Ferraro twice in the back, something Ferraro clearly took exception to. Moments later, after Vladislav Namestnikov was leveled by Gustav Stjernberg at the blue line, Namestnikov came to Lysell’s defense and roughed him up. Both players were sent to the penalty box.
That created a brief stretch of 4-on-4 hockey before Winnipeg was called for too many men on the ice, sending Colorado back to the power play.
On the ensuing advantage, Adam Beckman one-timed a pass from the right circle, but Skinner turned it aside as the Winnipeg goaltender continued to put together a strong outing.
With just under four minutes remaining in the period, Colorado continued searching for a way to break through. Sam Malinski created an opportunity off a faceoff win, dancing across the blue line before snapping a wrist shot toward the net. Skinner was square to the attempt and easily swallowed it.
The Jets eventually doubled their lead late in the period when Mark Scheifele threaded a perfect backhand pass to Cole Perfetti at the backdoor. Perfetti made no mistake, finishing the play with a slick wrist shot to put Winnipeg ahead 2-0.
Third Period
Lysell was sent to the penalty box early in the third period for roughing up Jets defenseman Henry Thrun, who voiced his displeasure as the forward headed to the box, prompting officials to step in and separate the two.
The Avalanche briefly appeared to get on the board when Gustav Stjernberg unleashed a shot from the point that found its way past Skinner. However, the Jets challenged the play for goaltender interference and won after it was determined that Fedor Svechkov interfered with the goaltender. Replay showed Svechkov battling Dylan DeMelo for position in the crease before making contact with Skinner’s glove.
The goal was ultimately overturned, and Winnipeg quickly responded at the other end. DeMelo fired a precise wrist shot over Nabokov’s glove to extend the Jets’ lead to 3-0.
Merkulov, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado in the offseason, finally got the Avalanche on the board with 5:26 remaining in regulation, jamming home a rebound that Skinner thought he had covered to cut the deficit to two.
Lysell, who picked up the assist on the goal, joined the Avalanche from Boston in the offseason trade that sent Ivan Ivan to the Bruins, giving Colorado another young forward to work into its lineup.
The Avalanche went back to the power play late after Perfetti was called for tripping and generated several looks around the Winnipeg net, but Skinner continued to deny them. Colorado couldn’t find another goal, and the Jets held on for a 3-1 victory.
The Avalanche showed signs of life throughout the third period, creating several opportunities and finally breaking through for a goal, but unfortunately, it was too little, too late. Colorado couldn’t find a way past Skinner again, as the Winnipeg goaltender stood tall when the Avalanche needed a second goal. When Skinner is playing at the top of his game, he remains one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, and he showed exactly why Monday night.
Moving on up: Infielder Caleb Bonemer had another great season, one that recognized as a South Atlantic League All-Star at season’s end. | Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
Note: We will have companion podcasts all week for our season wraps for each affiliate, so look out over on the right rail on Tuesday for our South Atlantic League champion Winston-Salem Dash season wrap podcast!
The Winston-Salem Dash finished 73-58 (.557) in the regular season, good for fourth out of 12 teams in the South Atlantic League. The Dash went 38-28 in the first half and 35-30 in the second half, and somewhat ironically it was their weaker part, the five-over second half, that punched their ticket for the postseason. The Dash got off to a fast start, going 15-9 in April and never finishing worse than .500 in any month. Among teams in the Sally, Winston-Salem ranked second in OPS (.822) and runs scored (826). Although the Dash ranked eighth in ERA (4.98) and runs allowed (727), their run differential (+99) was third in the South Atlantic League.
The Dash pulled off an massive upset over Bowling Green (82-48) in the Division Series, beating them two games to zero; among 120 teams in the full-season minors, only three teams finished with a better record than the Hot Rods.
Incredibly, W-S was not finished, as it faced Greensboro in the Championship Series; somehow despite sporting a phenomenal 82-50 record that ranked in the Top 10 of all minors teams this year, the Grasshoppers were merely the third-best club in the Sally.
Not that it mattered to the Dash: In Game 1 of the title series, Winston-Salem scored eight runs in the second to propel themselves to a 15-8 victory. Since this was another best-of-three series, suddenly the Dash were one win away from taking the cake. Game 2 was an entirely different type of matchup, but once again, the Dash found a way to bring home the win by a score of 2-0. Just like that, the Dash had won the South Atlantic League Championship, and given that the Barons entered this season with back-to-back titles, this marks the third season that a White Sox affiliate has won it all.
Starting with the Top 30 White Sox prospects who got serious playing time with the Dash, we will start with the South Side Sox and MLB No. 2 White Sox prospect, infielder Caleb Bonemer. Bonemer, 20, opened the season with Winston-Salem, where he performed admirably. Bonemer slashed .238/.381/.556 (139 wRC+) in 61 games. On top of that, Bonemer stole 10 bases in 13 attempts (76.9%). To top it off, Bonemer proceeded to post a .261/.379/.545 (140 wRC+) slash line in 71 games for the Barons. No matter how we slice it, this was another sizable step forward for Bonemer, who plays shortstop, third base, and he even got some reps in center field at the tail end of the season. Bonemer’s performance with the Dash was strong enough to get him onto the South Atlantic League All-Star team.
Infielder Javier Mogollón, 20, MLB’s No. 12 White Sox prospect and No. 25 at South Side Sox, also made a big impact with the Dash. Mogollón started the season with Kannapolis, where he slashed .257/.357/.442 (112 wRC+) in 57 games. After being promoted to Winston-Salem on July 28, Mogollón made even more of an impact, slashing .268/.385/.487 (122 wRC+) in 34 games to wrap up the regular season. Mogollón, who plays second base and shortstop, added a bullet point to his resume in the postseason. Mogollón launched a clutch, three-run homer to tie the game with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the Division Series against Bowling Green (82-48). The Dash proceeded to win that game in the 10th. In addition, Mogollón hit a two-run triple in Game 2 to help complete the sweep. On paper, Mogollón’s defense should be a strength moving forward, as MLB Pipeline grades his run tool at 60, his arm tool at 55, and his field tool at 50.
In 111 games, all with the Dash, shortstop Kyle Lodise, 22, slashed .230/.380/.440 (118 wRC+). Like Bonemer and Mogollón, Lodise was part of a strong infield that reached base quite often. Lodise also swiped 42 bases in 51 attempts (82.4%), as he was a major threat after reaching base. Lodise is MLB’s and South Side Sox’s No. 13 White Sox prospect, and he is living up to the hype since the White Sox drafted him in the third round in 2025.
Outfielder George Wolkow, 20, was also with the Dash for the entire season, and he provided some pop. Wolkow, MLB’s No. 14 White Sox prospect and at No. 15 with South Side Sox, went to Downers Grove North High School in the greater Chicago area. Wolkow slashed .239/.317/.446 (95 wRC+), and he led the team with 22 homers and 100 RBIs. Wolkow also swiped 15 bases, although he was caught seven times for a success rate of 68.2%, slightly below the cutoff that indicates an attempt is worth the risk. Wolkow’s main issue is his strikeout rate, which was 32.1%, an area to work on as he advances through the system.
Center fielder Ely Brown, 22, was great at getting on base and causing mayhem afterward. Brown slashed .275/.399/.372 (113 wRC+) in 113 games, all with the Dash. Brown also went 26-for-35 (74.3%) on stolen base attempts, as he showed that he has plenty of speed. While he doesn’t project to hit for much power, Brown’s high on-base skills paired with a 55-grade glove in center field make him an intriguing profile moving forward. Brown closes the season as MLB’s No. 21 White Sox prospect. In the preseason he ranked as the No. 99 White Sox prospect with SSS, an indication that we were caught sleeping on Brown, but also that he made a significant rise in 2026.
Ryan Burrowes, 22, played 88 games with the Dash before being promoted to Birmingham for his final 36 games. Burrowes, MLB’s No. 23 White Sox prospect and No. 42 before the season with SSS, excelled with Winston-Salem, slashing .261/.379/.421 (115 wRC+) and going 34-for-43 (79.1%) on stolen base attempts. Burrowes primarily plays shortstop, although he also got playing time at second base and third base this summer. In a smaller sample size, Burrowes struggled with the Barons, slashing .228/.329/.283 (74 wRC+), but he has a relatively high floor, thanks to his speed and defensive ability.
Infielder Colby Shelton, 23, is MLB’s No. 24 White Sox prospect and ranked No. 44 before the season with SSS. Although he spent most of the season with the Barons, it is important to highlight Shelton’s contributions to the Dash. Mainly a second baseman who also plays shortstop and third base, Shelton could not be stopped during his 31 games with the Dash. He slashed .339/.464/.661 (184 wRC+) in the early going to help the Dash get off to a fast start to the season. Shelton proceeded to slash .211/.289/.434 (88 wRC+) with the Barons, although he did pick up the pace down the stretch after struggling early on after the promotion.
Although the Dash had many MLB Top 30 prospects on the hitting side, they were much lighter with the arms. The only Top 30 prospect with at least 25 innings with the Dash was reliever Mathias LaCombe, 24. LaCombe was dominant during those 25 innings, posting a 2.88 ERA and a 3.54 FIP, striking out 12.60 per nine innings. LaCombe is MLB’s No. 18 White Sox prospect (No. 21 preseason with SSS), and although his ERA was 6.27 in 18 2/3 innings with Birmingham, his FIP (4.10) was much better. LaCombe actually climbed all the way up to Triple-A Charlotte by the very end of the season, an indication of the esteem the organization has for him.
Roch Cholowsky, 21, is likely someone you have heard of. Cholowsky, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, made his professional debut, but he only played nine games. In that limited sample, Cholowsky slashed .167/.326/.333 (81 wRC+). Although the overall slash line in the small sample was subpar, Cholowsky had a 15.2% walk rate and a .185 BABIP, as luck was not on his side. Plus, at some point Roch injured his wrist with the Dash, which likely impacted his production and led to him getting shut down for the season early. Nonetheless much of Cholowsky’s value stems from his defense at shortstop, where his elite glove cemented his status as the top overall pick.
Unranked right-hander Jake Curtis, 24, served as the undeniable MVP of the Winston-Salem pitching staff. Curtis is outside MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 White Sox prospects but made a large impact, and he spent the vast majority of the season with the Dash. In 80 1/3 innings with Winston-Salem, Curtis posted a 3.14 ERA and a 3.16 FIP. Control was a large part of his success, as Curtis only walked 1.37 batters per nine innings, and he only allowed 0.74 homers per nine innings. Considering the South Atlantic League average ERA hovered around 5.04 (even if skewed somewhat by Asheville’s 7.39 mark), Curtis’s production went a long way.
Although Curtis was the most valuable pitcher overall, unranked (by MLB, but held in high esteem by South Side Sox, at No. 26 overall) left-handed pitcher Grant Umberger, 24, was on fire in the postseason. In the regular season, Umberger posted modest numbers in 120 2/3 innings, all with the Dash, as he had a 4.70 ERA and a 4.88 FIP. However, Umberger was extremely valuable in the playoffs, where he had two starts, and he was magnificent in both of them. Against Bowling Green, Umberger picked up 11 strikeouts while only allowing one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings in the series clincher. Unbelievably, Umberger topped that in Game 2 against Greensboro, when he allowed three hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings. In that game, Umberger also struck out 11, as he finished the postseason with a 0.64 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and three walks. What a way to wrap things up.
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 11: Aaron Sabato #19 of the St. Paul Saints takes the field prior to the MiLB Field of Dreams game between the St. Paul Saints and the Iowa Cubs at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):8:45 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe:McCovey Chronicles
The Twins were officially eliminated from playoff contention yesterday, but they’ve been emotionally eliminated for a few weeks now. Honestly, being eliminated this late in the game is truly a testament to how milquetoast the entire American League has been this year. Even the “good” teams (Rays, Yankees, Red Sox) have some pretty glaring holes due to injuries. Someone will get hot and make a run to the World Series, but I have to imagine whoever emerges from the NL gauntlet will be heavily favored in the Fall Classic.
But onto today. Minnesota has fully transitioned to 2027 evaluation mode, meaning there’s some weird stuff going on such as Bailey Ober pitching out of the ‘pen yesterday. Today, that means 27-year-old former first round pick Aaron Sabato will make his major league debut.
Sabato is similar to Ben Ross, who was called up a few weeks ago. Not in size, stature, or skillset, but just by way of likely being more of a Quad-A type hitter rather than an actual MLB contributor. That being said, he’s a right handed bat with a ton of power who has crushed lefties the past two seasons, albeit with bad swing-and-miss numbers. Sabato has a .937 OPS against lefties vs a still respectable .857 mark against righties (keep in mind the average International League OPS is around .800). But the real difference comes from his strikeout and walk numbers. Against righties, Sabato has struck out in 26% of his PAs and walked just 6.2% of the time. Against southpaws, those numbers drastically improve to 23% and 17%, respectively.
It’s possible Sabato hits well enough to carve out a bench role, but if you asked me right now, I would assume he’s dropped from the the 40-man in the offseason. It’s possible the big righty is a late bloomer, but this is likely the Twins giving the nod to an organizational warrior as they wrap up the season.
But hey, I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong!
The Giants, meanwhile, have had so many injuries they’re running out an entire roster of organizational warriors. They currently have 9 position players and 13 pitchers on the Major League IL. Those players collectively account for $133.08M of their $196M payroll this season, so there are a lot of 25-28 YO rookies even the most baseball-obsessed bloggers have never heard of before. It’s been a rough year in the Bay, both on and off the field.
UPDATE: I made this post before Jung Hoo Lee and Bryce Eldridge were placed on the IL prior to the game today. The Giants now have exactly 0 opening day starters remaining and don’t have a single player on the active roster making more than $1M. It’s bad, folks.
What had the potential to be a juicy showdown this week in The Bronx may not be worth the squeeze for the Yankees.
Even if they go all out to sweep the Rays in a four-game series, they still would need to keep winning and get some help on the final weekend of the regular season to complete a comeback and take the AL East.
If they lose even one game to the Rays at Yankee Stadium, though, the race would be over, with Tampa Bay popping champagne as division champs and the Yankees all but locked into facing the Red Sox in an AL wild-card series next week.
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Of course, right up until the Yankees are officially eliminated from the AL East race, they will try to catch the Rays, beginning by starting Carlos Rodón and Max Fried in Tuesday’s doubleheader. But if what seems inevitable comes to fruition — they trail by six games with seven to play — the Yankees can turn their attention to the arguably more important things awaiting them in the coming days.
“It’s tough,” José Caballero said as the Yankees packed their bags after losing a second straight winnable game to the Diamondbacks on Sunday at Chase Field. “We fight for this the whole season, but at the end of the day, we’re already in the postseason, so that’s what we look forward to. Just be better and learn from little mistakes and play clean baseball in the postseason.”
Even if the Yankees pull off a sweep of the Rays, any combination of two Yankees losses (against the Orioles) or Rays wins (against the Phillies) would mean the Rays still win the division.
It would behoove the Yankees to get some early clarity on the division, allowing them to focus on some housekeeping this week. Doing so would give them an opportunity to rest their most heavily used relievers; set up their rotation order how they choose to face the Red Sox (Cam Schlittler or Gerrit Cole in Game 1?); and figure out how to handle second base (with Jazz Chisholm Jr. returning), third base and right field (with Aaron Judge sure looking like he might miss the wild-card series with a right calf strain).
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, right, reacts from the dugout during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Phoenix. AP Photo/Caitlin O'Hara
“You got to make sure guys are in a good spot going in, but we’re going to show up and try to win the games Tuesday and we’ll keep going from there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve been through a lot as a team this year already and we’ve answered the bell at mostly all the turns. Looking forward to hopefully playing a good week of baseball and building some momentum going into the postseason.”
The Yankees have had their chances to chase down the Rays before sharing the field with them again. The last time they saw each other, shortly before the All-Star break in July, they split a four-game series, with the Yankees leaving Tropicana Field trailing the Rays by four games.
Since then, the Yankees have gone 38-24, which represents the fifth-best winning percentage in the majors during that span. The problem is that the Rays have posted the second-best winning percentage in that time (41-23), gaining two full games on the Yankees.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Diaz celebrates scoring a run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Sunday, September 20, 2026. Getty Images
The closest the Yankees have gotten to the Rays during that span was 1 ¹/₂ games, but that was way back on July 28.
“They’ve put together a great season to this point and put themselves in a great position,” Boone said. “Got a ton of respect for the season they’ve had so far. Hopefully we’ll cross paths beyond Tuesday at some point in the future [the ALDS].”
The Yankees have gone 3-6 against the Rays this season, meaning they would have to sweep this four-game series to secure the tiebreaker should the teams finish the season with the same record.
“They play their game,” said Caballero, who was a Ray for a season and a half before the Yankees acquired him last summer. “It’s tough to play them, playing the way they play. They did a good job during the whole year, pitching-wise as well. They have some good pitching. That’s why they’re at the top of the American League. But at the end of the day, it’s about what we do in the postseason. The 162 first games, it doesn’t matter. The clock starts [in the] postseason.”
SAN ANTONIO - JANUARY 14: Derek Fisher #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with head coach Phil Jackson during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 14, 2009 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs won 112-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Are you surprised by the Villain Bracket Final results?
Marilyn Dubinski: I am. I wholly expected Kawhi Leonard to be in the Finals (along with Zaza Pachulia) since he has very clearly been public enemy no.1 in San Antonio for the last eight years, and the fact that he wasn’t there shocked me. It leads me to wonder how much the Clippers’ Aspiration scandal and the punishment, which was much harsher on Uncle Dennis than Kawhi, coming out during the tournament played a role in influencing the outcome of the last few rounds. Clearly, fans decided that Uncle Dennis was more responsible for influencing Kawhi than Kawhi was for going along with it, but that’s why we did this! It wouldn’t have been any fun without surprises, and there were none in the other three brackets.
Mark Barrington: Like Marilyn, I certainly expected Kawhi to be in the finals, and the eventual winner. However, both finalists are inexplicably entwined in the Leonard saga: Zaza as the brigand who intentionally injured the already tender ankle of the Spurs’ best player, ending their 2017 playoff run, and uncle Dennis, who engineered Kawhi’s messy exit from the Spurs and the franchise-crushing salary cap circumvention fiasco (with Ballmer’s complicity). Once again, Kawhi is at the center of a hurricane of misdeeds and calamity, but he doesn’t face the consequences, traded to the Raptors to finish out his career at one of the teams he left in his wake years ago. He’s had quite the villain’s journey, and maybe the final chapter will be redemption. But don’t count on it.
Bill Huan: Like Marilyn and Mark, I wholly expected Kawhi to be in the finals, but I think the fans got it right by having Uncle Dennis usurp his nephew. I fully admit that recency bias is likely affecting my judgment, but all the recent reports regarding the Kawhi-Aspiration scandal indicate that Uncle Dennis was the mastermind behind everything. That doesn’t mean Kawhi was going to stay in San Antonio forever if he was more in control of his camp, but I do think it’s possible he could’ve stayed a few more seasons and departed in the 2019 offseason rather than forcing the team’s hand to trade him in 2018. Perhaps the Spurs could’ve had a few more seasons as a title contender with him leading the way, so I agree with Uncle Dennis making the final over his nephew.
Devon Birdsong: I mean, not really. With the Clippers scandal going down, I expected that Uncle Dennis and Kawhi were going deep in the bracket. Those two and Zaza are the most recent faces of Spurs fandom villainy, and they all made the Final Four. However, I expected that Dennis was going to take the brunt. There are still some Kawhi apologists in the fanbase, and he did physically help the Spurs win a championship, whereas his Uncle has no such buffer. I was more shocked that Ray Allen didn’t make it past Derek Fisher in the Elite Eight, though I’m realizing that’s probably the result of the 2014 Championship taking the edge off of his shot. Still, I rarely see the .4 seconds clip anymore, and the NBA at-large loves to play Allen’s shot on a loop every postseason (or, at least, that’s how it feels), so my animus for (and reaction to) Fisher’s shot is greatly lessened.
Jeje Gomez: I’m shocked Uncle Dennis made the Finals. Current-day UD is a certified NBA villain, but back in the day he was just someone who engineered Kawhi’s exit. Any other manager or agent could have done the same. I absolutely understand why he’s there, considering recent news, but I thought Kawhi himself would be the one to win the whole thing.
Other than that, there weren’t major surprises. Zaza earned the villain title. The guys in the semis did as well. Overall, I think this exercise showed that, with one possible exception, the fan base is united in who they dislike the most.
Is there anyone you think should have advanced further than they did, and why? Was there an upset you weren’t expecting?
Dubinski: I was shocked that neither Phil Jackson nor David Stern advanced past the second round of the Haters bracket, which may be an indicator that a lot of our PtR audience is younger than me. (And I’m “only” 40! You guys are making me feel old!) Back in the early-to-mid 2000’s, when public figures could get away with more controversial statements without worldwide pushback on social media, Jackson’s asterisk comment reeked of jealousy and was used by Lakers fans and other haters to discredit the Spurs even at the height of their dynasty, and frankly Stern’s comments that the Spurs being in the Finals was bad for the league, and if he had his way, every Finals would be Celtics-Lakers, were right up there with Restgate, but maybe not everyone went through or remembers all that.
Barrington: Except for Kawhi’s failure to advance to the Finals [mentioned above], I think things played out about as I thought they would. I would have thought that the Knicks might have gone further than they did, because of Spurs being unhappy about the outcome of the Finals, but I think that voters correctly assessed that the Knicks aren’t villains; they are simply a team that played with a lot of heart and poise and outcompeted the inexperienced Silver and Black. Sure, their fans were insufferable, but that’s not the team, and frankly, if the Spurs had won, I’d be insufferable too.
Huan: I personally think that Richard Jefferson (4-seed) was placed way too high on the Former Spurs’ side of the bracket, and Dennis Rodman (7-seed) was too low. Sure, RJ struggled in his three seasons in San Antonio, but he has never blamed the organization the way Rodman did. RJ was never a locker room distraction like Rodman and didn’t bash his former teammates on the way out, so why was he ranked so high? I think it would’ve made more sense to swap the two.
Birdsong: I was a little surprised that Stephen Jackson beat out Robert Horry in the Sweet 16 as well. It definitely felt like a near-even match, but Jackson is at least complimentary about Tim and Pop, whereas it feels like Horry has taken potshot after potshot over the years, and is just generally resentful of his time in San Antonio overall, and that would maybe be the difference (it was for me). I guess one huge shot bought him enough goodwill, but Jackson had quite a few against Dallas (alongside Steve Kerr) in 2003, so what do I know? I also feel like Marcus Morris and Hakeem The Dream would have made it further if they didn’t end up facing Kawhi and Ray Allen so early in the bracket.
Gomez: The 2025/26 Knicks talked a lot of smack about the Spurs and Wembanyama, to the point where I thought recency bias might propel them through a couple of rounds. But the real answer is Phil Jackson. During the mid-2000’s rivalry, the guy was downplaying most Spurs achievements. I completely understand that it’s been a long time since then and the 2014 title changed things, but I was expecting more vitriol to come his way.
Five years from now, who do you think would win a Villain Bracket?
Dubinski: Beyond wondering if Kawhi would have beaten out Uncle Dennis in any other year, I feel like there’s going to be someone who does something to Wemby that outdoes Zaza or Karl Malone and shoots them up our Dirty Players bracket. Also, the Spurs’ rise to new prominence is inevitably going to create or renew rivalries. It will be interesting to see if someone on OKC triggers our hate more than Lu Dort. (Will Chet Holmgren figure things out and really get that rivalry with Wemby going in the playoffs? Will SGA keep getting away with foul baiting to the point that they beat the Spurs with it?) It’s also inevitable that a former Spur will be able to replace Marcus Morris in that bracket, although I’m not sure it will be anyone among the current players. (We were a bit limited in that bracket by sticking to basketball and not looking into players’ off-court troubles.)
Barrington: Speaking of Marcus Morris, I’m kind of wondering how Cam Payne didn’t make the list. He was traded to the Spurs in 2023 and never reported, finally waived so he could sign with another team. Maybe that’s because nobody remembers who he is. I think if the Spurs end up meeting again with the Knicks in the finals, there could be some sports hate brewing between the two teams. Conventional wisdom is that they had a pretty brief window due to salary cap concerns, but with Brunson setting the example by taking a discount, I wouldn’t count them out as a long-term contender in the Eastern Conference, and if the Spurs can’t get past them if they meet again, they will be worthy nemeses. My hope is that the Spurs have a 2014-style redemption tour the next time they meet in the playoffs, but history is yet to be written.
I was noticing in the SBNation thread about Most Hated Teams that some people are mentioning the Spurs. In my opinion, that’s a sign of respect. As the Spurs become more successful, I suspect that they will become more hated, and if there were a villains tournament open to fans of all fans in the entire league, Wemby could end up near the top, unless he and the team can find some more creative ways to deal with the constant mugging he gets from opposing defenders.
Huan: Five years is not much time at all, but if I had to crown a new winner, it must be a player who does something dirty to Wemby. The recency bias alone would be a huge advantage for them, not to mention potentially injuring the best player in the league. I mean, Zaza’s in the Finals for injuring another top-three villain in the tournament; can you imagine how much hate a player would receive for injuring the face of the franchise and fan favorite Wemby??
Birdsong: If anyone injures Wemby (especially in the postseason), I suspect Zaza’s reign on that front will finally end. I think making it to the Finals this season has already taken some of the sting out of that for a lot of fans. Sure, he’s hated, but not in the way he was when the Spurs were mired in multiple double-digit losing streaks. Another championship or two will probably reduce that even further. Additionally, if the Spurs were to (knock on wood) lose to the Knicks in the Finals again, they’ll probably become Enemy #1 for the fanbase in a manner we’ve never seen before. I don’t see that happening for a multitude of team-building + James Dolan-related reasons, but that would be an all-timer. I’m willing to bet the Miami Heat would’ve swept the entire bracket if the Spurs had lost to them again in 2014.
Gomez: Anyone who hurts Wemby is the right answer, but I’ll offer another perspective: If the Spurs don’t win a title in the next five years, I could see Brian Wright becoming a villain. Wright will be the face of a lot of likely unpopular moves to keep the team under the tax line and second apron, so if San Antonio falls short, he’ll be the perfect scapegoat as to why a group with elite young talent underperformed and how so many good years were wasted. The narrative writes itself.
If we are talking about a dark horse, it could be one of the young guards. Restricted free agency practically ensures that they’ll sign a second contract, and both seem happy now, but both seem good enough to potentially be the biggest star on their own team, and the Spurs’ are clearly Wemby’s. If there’s enough success, there should be no issues, but it’s hard to forget what happened the last time a team with this much elite young talent had to pay everyone and figure out a pecking order, so hopefully neither Castle nor Harper pulls off a 2012 James Harden and becomes a villain.
Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As the offseason prepares to come to a close, with training camp starting in a little over a week, we can’t help but continue trying to project what the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns will ultimately become. There are numerous questions about how the offense will function, what a summer of development has done for the young guys, what adjustments the coaching staff has focused on, and whether they can successfully implement new strategies this season.
Project. That’s about all we can really do at this point. And as I was exploring Basketball-Reference, the holy grail for looking at players throughout NBA history, their statistical output, and the marks they’ve left on the game, I stumbled across something. Basketball-Reference has already put together projections for nearly every player in the NBA this upcoming season.
The only players who don’t have projections are rookies, so in the case of the Phoenix Suns, that means Koa Peat. But if you visit the page of nearly any other member of the roster, you’ll find their statistical projections for the upcoming season.
Have no fear. I went through and collected them all for you so we can take a look at what Basketball-Reference expects of the Suns this season. I do the tedious work so you don’t have to!
There is one important thing to keep in mind before we dive in. All of their projections are on a per-36-minute basis. So take them with a grain of salt.
Player
FG
FGA
3P
3PA
FT
FTA
ORB
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PF
PTS
FG%
3P%
FT%
Collin Gillespie
5.6
13.2
3.5
8.7
1.3
1.5
1.4
5.3
5.8
1.6
0.3
1.9
2.1
16.0
0.425
0.404
0.783
Devin Booker
8.8
19.1
2.2
6.5
6.5
7.4
0.9
4.2
6.5
0.9
0.3
3.1
2.8
26.3
0.459
0.333
0.878
Dillon Brooks
7.2
16.7
2.6
7.3
2.6
3.2
1.0
4.3
2.1
1.1
0.2
1.7
3.8
19.7
0.431
0.361
0.715
Haywood Highsmith
4
8.7
1.9
4.9
1.0
1.3
1.6
5.3
2.4
1.3
0.7
1.1
3.2
10.9
0.463
0.394
0.812
Jalen Green
8.5
19.6
3
8.8
3.4
4.3
0.7
5.3
3.9
1.1
0.4
2.7
1.8
23.4
0.432
0.344
0.835
Jamaree Bouyea
6
12.9
1.4
4.5
1.6
2.3
1.1
5
4.5
1.6
0.9
1.9
2.3
15
0.461
0.308
0.833
Jordan Goodwin
5.2
12.4
2.3
6.3
1.0
1.4
3
7.7
3.6
2.2
0.4
1.7
3
13.7
0.416
0.367
0.554
Khaman Malauch
5.5
10.4
0.9
2.9
2.2
3
3.7
10.5
1.6
0.7
2.3
2.1
3.4
14.1
0.526
0.318
0.643
Koby Brea
6.4
14.0
3.2
8
2.1
2.6
1.3
5.6
4.2
1.0
0.5
2
2.8
18.2
0.459
0.407
0.855
Luke Kennard
5.1
10.1
2.6
5.8
1.4
1.6
0.8
4.2
4.2
1.2
0.2
1.5
2
14.2
0.505
0.453
0.727
Mark Williams
7.5
12.0
0.2
0.5
3.6
4.6
4.4
12.3
2.2
1.3
1.4
1.8
3.3
18.7
0.624
0.362
0.798
Miles Bridges
7.5
16.7
2.3
6.9
3.2
3.9
1.2
7.2
3.8
0.8
0.6
1.9
1.9
20.6
0.452
0.330
0.746
Oso Ighodaro
4.8
7.5
0.1
0.4
1.2
2.3
2.6
8.2
3.5
1.4
1.1
1.9
4
10.8
0.63
0.345
0.513
Pat Spencer
5.5
13.0
1.7
4.8
1.5
1.9
1.6
5.0
6.5
1.4
0.2
2.5
2.3
14.2
0.428
0.348
0.888
Rasheer Fleming
5.1
11.8
2.4
6.6
1.4
2.2
2.8
6.8
1.5
1.2
1.1
1.6
3.3
14.0
0.431
0.359
0.747
Ryan Dunn
4.9
10.7
1.7
5.3
0.7
1.3
2.5
7.6
2.4
1.4
0.9
1.4
3.6
12.2
0.454
0.332
0.77
Okay, I’ve taken it with a grain of salt. Now I want something cleaner, something more tangible, and something that gives us a more realistic idea of how Basketball Reference is projecting these players. Knowing a per-36 statistic is fine, but when you take into account only 3 players who played in 10+ games last season and averaged over 36 minutes per game, it’s somewhat of a dead stat.
So I decided to take this exercise one step further. I used the per-36 projections Basketball Reference has for every member of the Phoenix Suns and normalized their statistical output to the minutes each player averaged last season. Ah, math and Excel. I heart you.
I know this is a flawed way to approach it. Minutes and roles will change, and last season’s playing time isn’t necessarily indicative of what each player will receive this year. Still, it gives us a little more insight into the production Basketball-Reference is projecting based on a workload we’ve actually seen these players handle.
Player
MPG
FG
FGA
3P
3PA
FT
FTA
ORB
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PF
PTS
FG%
3P%
FT%
Collin Gillespie
28.5
4.4
10.5
2.8
6.9
1.0
1.2
1.1
4.2
4.6
1.3
0.2
1.5
1.7
12.7
0.425
0.404
0.855
Devin Booker
33.5
8.2
17.8
2.0
6.0
6.0
6.9
0.8
3.9
6.0
0.8
0.3
2.9
2.6
24.5
0.459
0.333
0.878
Dillon Brooks
30.4
6.1
14.1
2.2
6.2
2.2
2.7
0.8
3.6
1.8
0.9
0.2
1.4
3.2
16.6
0.431
0.361
0.833
Haywood Highsmith
13.0
1.4
3.1
0.7
1.8
0.4
0.5
0.6
1.9
0.9
0.5
0.3
0.4
1.2
3.9
0.463
0.394
0.746
Jalen Green
25.9
6.1
14.1
2.2
6.3
2.4
3.1
0.5
3.8
2.8
0.8
0.3
1.9
1.3
16.8
0.432
0.344
0.798
Jamaree Bouyea
14.0
2.3
5.0
0.5
1.8
0.6
0.9
0.4
1.9
1.8
0.6
0.4
0.7
0.9
5.8
0.461
0.308
0.715
Jordan Goodwin
22.5
3.3
7.8
1.4
3.9
0.6
0.9
1.9
4.8
2.3
1.4
0.3
1.1
1.9
8.6
0.416
0.367
0.727
Khaman Malauch
8.9
1.4
2.6
0.2
0.7
0.5
0.7
0.9
2.6
0.4
0.2
0.6
0.5
0.8
3.5
0.526
0.318
0.747
Koby Brea
7.0
1.2
2.7
0.6
1.6
0.4
0.5
0.3
1.1
0.8
0.2
0.1
0.4
0.5
3.5
0.459
0.407
0.812
Luke Kennard
21.6
3.1
6.1
1.6
3.5
0.8
1.0
0.5
2.5
2.5
0.7
0.1
0.9
1.2
8.5
0.505
0.453
0.888
Mark Williams
23.6
4.9
7.9
0.1
0.3
2.4
3.0
2.9
8.1
1.4
0.9
0.9
1.2
2.2
12.3
0.624
0.362
0.783
Miles Bridges
31.0
6.5
14.4
2
5.9
2.8
3.4
1.0
6.2
3.3
0.7
0.5
1.6
1.6
17.7
0.452
0.330
0.835
Oso Ighodaro
22.0
2.9
4.6
0.1
0.2
0.7
1.4
1.6
5.0
2.1
0.9
0.7
1.2
2.4
6.6
0.63
0.345
0.513
Pat Spencer
18.6
2.8
6.7
0.9
2.5
0.8
1.0
0.8
2.6
3.4
0.7
0.1
1.3
1.2
7.3
0.428
0.348
0.77
Rasheer Fleming
12.2
1.7
4.0
0.8
2.2
0.5
0.7
0.9
2.3
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.5
1.1
4.7
0.431
0.359
0.643
Ryan Dunn
19.4
2.6
5.8
0.9
2.9
0.4
0.7
1.3
4.1
1.3
0.8
0.5
0.8
1.9
6.6
0.454
0.332
0.554
I know this isn’t a perfect science. Again, these are projections. They never truly are. There are also individual intricacies that get lost in this process. I don’t believe Khaman Maluach will only play 8.9 minutes per game as he did a season ago, nor do I expect Mark Williams to have much impact when he returns from his labrum injury. Still, the exercise gives us an interesting look at how Basketball Reference views the individual players on this roster.
Based on these projections, the Suns would have six players averaging double figures in scoring each night. Overall, the projections have the Suns shooting 47.5% from the field, 36% from beyond the arc, and 75.6% from the free-throw line. And I can fall in love with those three-point shooting numbers from Gillespie and Kennard.
Perhaps the most interesting projection belongs to Devin Booker. Basketball Reference has him averaging 24.5 points per game, which would be his lowest scoring output since his sophomore season back in 2016-17, while matching his assist production from last year. His three-point percentage mildly increases while his free throw attempts drop from 8.1 last season to 6.9 this season. A question we have to ask ourselves is: What does a stat line of 24.5 and 6.0, with 2.9 turnovers, on 46/33/88 splits mean? To us, to him, and to the team?
Another thing I find interesting is the overall shot diet, and it’s something I’m contemplating monitoring throughout the season. Every week during the season, I write a Suns Weekly, which I’m renaming The Solar Report this season as an homage to my podcast’s original name. Within that, I like to find one statistic to mine and monitor throughout the season. This year, the overall shot diet might be one of them.
What does the balance of this offense actually look like? Based on these projections, the Suns would have five different players averaging more than 10 shot attempts per game. That isn’t necessarily unfamiliar territory. We saw a similar distribution last season. What interests me is where those shots are going. Based on my normalized version of Basketball-Reference’s projections, Miles Bridges would be second on the team with 14.4 field goal attempts per game, while Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green would both average 14.1.
Is that the right balance? More importantly, what does balance even look like for this team? That’s something I want to monitor throughout the season. Because with this many players capable of taking double-digit shots on any given night, how those opportunities are distributed could tell us quite a bit about what this offense ultimately becomes.
Again, none of this is gospel. It’s simply another way to look at what this roster could potentially produce. The numbers aren’t telling us what will happen. They’re establishing another baseline for what could happen. Roles will change, minutes will change, injuries and development will blow holes through some of these projections before Thanksgiving. But with training camp around the corner, we’ve officially reached the point where speculation is about to collide with reality. The spreadsheets have had their turn. Now it’s time for basketball to start providing the answers.
Jake McCarthy (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Wild Card Race.
My final prediction in the preseason was that the Diamondbacks would win 85.1 games. With 82 wins, the Diamondbacks could exceed my prediction, which would give me joy. I’d rather be wrong with the Diamondbacks heading to the playoffs.
The Obvious. The Diamondbacks odds of being the third NL Wild Card are small, but non-zero. They need to sweep the final six games (3 games vs Rockies and 3 games vs Padres). And either the Phillies or the Padres need to lose nearly all their games.
The Subtle and Profound. Torey Lovullo’s comments after Sunday’s game were subtle and profound.
“…We know where we are in the standings. There’s not a damn thing we can do about it, other than go out and play our finest game on Tuesday in Colorado.” — Torey Lovullo
The Difference that Matters. Sweeping this series (or not) is the difference that matters.
Rockies Players to Watch.
Former Diamondbacks Jake McCarthy splits his playing time between left field and center field, with a little bit of right field. After a career worst season with the Diamondbacks, with the Rockies his 113 OPS+ is backed up with 15 homers and 80 RBIs. McCarthy’s comments seemed to say his improvement was due to trying to hit line drives to all fields, batting at the top of the lineup, and more consistent at-bats. Two huge difference makers follow:
His batting performance is better at Coors than Chase. At Coors his OPS was 1.111 in 2025 and .904 inn 2026. At Chase his OPS was .598 in 2025 and .310 in 2026.
He increased his percentage of fast swings (swings greater than 75 MPH). Per Baseball Savant, the percentage of fast swings increased from 7.8% in 2025 to 15.4% in 2026. That’s nearly double!
“I think it’s getting back to what makes me good. I think last year I sort of got away from doing what I do well. I think that’s being competitive on a daily basis. When I reflect on last year, I think a lot of at-bats ended in a pop-out or just early, weak contact. I’m trying to hit as many line drives around the field as possible. I’m sure the big outfield of Coors (Field) does help.” — Jake McCarthy
Pitching Matchups.
Announced Diamondbacks Pitchers (as of Monday morning):
Michael Soroka. In his latest start, he allowed 1 earned run in 5 innings.
Merrill Kelly. In his latest start, which was against the Marlins, he allowed 3 earned runs in 4.2 innings. However, the Marlins scored an unearned run, and one run was the margin of victory for the Marlins.
Eduardo Rodriguez. In his latest start, which was against the Yankees, he allowed 7 earned runs (5 of which were in the first inning) in 5.1 innings. How well he fares in the first inning will be an early indicator of the Diamondbacks winning chances.
Announced Rockies Starters (as of Monday morning):
Kyle Freeland. In his latest start, be allowed 1 earned run in 5 innings.
Mason Adams. In his latest start, which was against the Padres, he allowed 6 earned runs in 4.1 innings. Six runs was the margin of victory for the Padres.
Mets prospect Jonathan Santucci capped his fantastic season by being named an Eastern League All-Star on Monday.
Santucci continued climbing his way through the system this year.
The left-hander started the season pitching with Double-A Binghamton before working his way into Syracuse’s starting rotation down the stretch.
Before his promotion he led the Double-A level in strikeouts (120), was fifth in ERA (3.57), eighth in innings pitched (90.2), and eighth in WHIP (1.24).
He struggled to the tune of a 5.24 ERA after joining Syracuse, but held his opponent to two runs or fewer in three of his last five outings of the season.
Overall, Santucci led all minor league pitchers with 163 strikeouts, marking the second straight year a Mets pitching prospect accomplished the feat (Jonah Tong).
The 23-year-old former second-round pick out of Duke is the second-ranked prospect and top-ranked pitching prospect on SNY’s midseason Top 30 list.
According to SNY’s Joe DeMayo, Santucci looks the part of a mid-rotation starter who should enter the Mets’ rotation mix some time next season.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2026: Bo Davidson #91 of the San Francisco Giants takes a lead at first base during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
There are only six games left in a truly miserable San Francisco Giants season, but there’s finally some good news: those six games just got a lot more interesting. On Monday afternoon, before kicking off their penultimate series of the season, the Giants announced that two thrilling youngsters are headed to the team: infielder Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Bo Davidson.
Both players are also jumping straight into the lineup. Mayer, who was activated off of the 10-Day Injured List, will serve as the designated hitter, while Davidson, who had his contract purchased from AAA Sacramento, will be in right field.
For Mayer, it will be his organizational debut. The 23-year old lefty, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, joined the Giants at this year’s trade deadline, in exchange for lefty reliever Erik Miller and outfield prospect Carlos Gutierrez. Widely considered a top-20 prospect in all of baseball a year ago, Mayer struggled during two stints in the Majors with the Boston Red Sox, hitting .223/.278/.346 (71 wRC+) in 70 games. But he has all the potential in the world, was a successful hitter at every level of the Minor Leagues, is still extremely young, and is a very talented defensive player.
Mayer was on the Injured List when the Giants acquired him, and shortly after began a rehab assignment. Unfortunately he had a setback fairly quickly, and was shut down. He now returns to the Giants without having made a second rehab appearance, and hasn’t played in a game since August 18. Hopefully we get to see him play some second base before the season ends, as he’ll likely be playing there a lot next season.
As for Davidson, he gets to cap a brilliant year with an MLB debut. The 24-year old lefty slugger has been one of the best stories in the Giants organization in recent history, as he rose from an undrafted free agent out of a junior college, to one of the top prospects in the system (and on top 100 lists), and now to a Major Leaguer.
Davidson, who plays quality defense, has good speed, and displays strong contact skills, but whose real calling card is his power, split the season between AA Richmond and AAA Sacramento, and dominated each level. He was an All-Star in the AA Eastern League, where he posted an .861 OPS and a 122 wRC+, and then took it to a whole new level in the AAA Pacific Coast League, where he finished the year with a .923 OPS and a 138 wRC+. Across the two levels, Davidson hit an organization-leading 29 home runs in 125 games.
While players like Victor Bericoto, Turner Hill, Drew Gilbert, and Jonah Cox have put forth impressive auditions this year, it’s very possible that the Giants traded Heliot Ramos in large part because they were confident that Davidson could be an everyday player next year.
Since Davidson was going to need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft in the offseason, it made sense for the Giants to roster him and give him a little taste of the Majors before 2027.
For as exciting as the additions of Mayer and Davidson are, they come with a cost: they are replacing first baseman Bryce Eldridge and outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, whose seasons are presumably over. Eldridge is being placed on the 7-Day Concussion List, retroactive to September 18, though Tony Vitello said it’s unlikely that he’ll play again this year. Lee is headed to the 10-Day Injured List with a groin contusion, which officially ends his season.
With Lee’s injury, only Christian Koss and Landen Roupp remain from the Opening Day roster. Pretty wild!
To make space on the 40-man roster for Davidson, the Giants designated reliever Philip Abner for assignment.
Things are starting to ramp back up around the NBA. Players are working out with teammates and teams are making a lot of moves, but most of those are Exhibit 10 training camp contracts to stack the franchise's G League roster. Still, there is news of note, and that starts with the LA Clippers.
Clippers name John Gibson interim Governor
Rather than promote from within, the Clippers have gone outside the organization and named Los Angeles-based attorney John S. Gibson interim Chief Executive Officer and Governor. He steps into the roles formerly filled by team owner Steve Ballmer and head of business operations Gillian Zucker, both of whom the NBA suspended for a year for circumventing the salary cap to get Kawhi Leonard more money.
"I am honored to take on this responsibility and grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization I have supported for many years," Gibson said in a statement. "The Clippers have talented players, coaches, and staff, an extraordinary home in Intuit Dome, and passionate Clipper Nation fans who, like me, care deeply about this team. My focus will be on supporting our people, providing steady leadership, and helping the organization continue moving forward."
Gibson is a partner at the law firm DLA Piper in Los Angeles and a long-time Clippers season ticket holder. He also represented the Clippers during the Donald Sterling ownership court battle. Expect more caretaker for a year, a guy who will set some best-practice business guidelines for the future but is not there to shake things up.
The Clippers also officially announced the expected, that General Manager Trent Redden will oversee basketball operations for six months until Lawrence Frank is off of his suspension.
Pistons, Duren still at an impasse
Seven days from the start of training camp and the Pistons and All-NBA center Jalen Duren remain at an impasse. While the sides are talking, they reportedly aren't close to a deal.
ESPN’s Shams Charania said on NBA Today that "it's highly up in the air and questionable as to whether (Duren) will be reporting and showing up to media day in just seven days." He also said the Pistons' latest offer is five years, $200 million.
If that is true, it shows how this is more about Duren not feeling respected by the organization than it is pure money — although Houston giving Amen Thompson five years, $208 million likely raised the bar a little. As Charania notes, a year ago the Pistons came to Duren with a hard $20 million a year average take-it-or-leave-it offer, and that is where the tension started. He turned that down and proved he was worth more than that — how much more (after a rough playoff run) is part of the question. The other part is how he feels the organization has treated him, which plays into this. It's now about more than money, although at the end of the day, can Duren really leave that contract on the table and play for a $9.6 million qualifying offer?
Hawks’ Henri Veesaar tears ACL
This sucks.
Henri Veesaar — coming off a breakout year at North Carolina where he averaged 17 points and 8.7 rebounds per game — was a first-round talent who slid all the way to No. 52 last June because his agents steered him to a team where he could get a standard NBA contract. He got that in Atlanta at four years, $9.6 million (the first two years are guaranteed).
Veesaar tore his ACL in a workout on Sept. 15 and will miss the entire upcoming season recovering after surgery next month, Atlanta announced. This is a real blow for the Estonian big man, and also tough on Atlanta's frontcourt depth, with Mouhamed Gueye missing the start of the season due to a fractured foot that required surgery.
Mavericks expected to sign Dwight Powell
Reserve center Dwight Powell has played the last 12 seasons in Dallas, and is now expected to play one more, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Well, probably. Powell is expected to sign a non-guaranteed deal with the team that gives the Mavericks flexibility if Powell were injured or something else occurred. That said, Powell was in Santa Monica with many of the Dallas Mavericks last week in a series of workouts organized by Kyrie Irving.
Powell doesn't have a big impact on the court at age 35 (3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 63 appearances last season), but he may be more valuable to a young team as a mentor who shows players how to be professional and has a strong work ethic.
Pistons executive Michael Blackstone talks cancer
If you read one thing today, it should be Pistons executive vice president of basketball operations Michael Blackstone sitting down with Hunter Patterson of The Athletic to talk about Blackstone's battle against Stage 4 lung cancer. Blackstone was diagnosed in 2023 but is speaking out now to urge people to see their doctor if they are feeling unexplained aches and pains. That's how he found out.
"The reason I'm talking about it now versus the past three years is because time is basically all I have now, right? Time is what matters...
"If I didn't pay attention to the discomfort I was having and ask a very innocent question, I wouldn't be here right now. It was already Stage 4 when we found it; it had already gone too far."
The Athletics, currently 61-95, are just a week away from completing their fifth consecutive season with a losing record, but their biggest problem currently is addressing the vacancy at general manager.
The team would like to fulfill the vacancy before the season ends next week.
Assistant general manager Dan Feinstein was put in place in the interim while the search prolongs. It's not going to happen in the blink of an eye, but it is reflective of the state of the team overall - there are major holes that need to be filled.
"David has been an integral part of the A's and our success for nearly three decades," team owner John Fisher said in a statement. "His leadership, dedication, and commitment to this team have helped shape our baseball operations department and position us for the future. We are grateful for everything David has done for our organization."
A's organization in discord?
It's natural to wonder what happened with Forst, 50, after nearly three decades with the team.
There was allegedly internal disagreement. According to USA TODAY Sports baseball columnist Bob Nightengale, Forst was in the final year of his contract and didn't want to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028 when the organization moves from its temporary home in West Sacramento.
The A's are on pace for one of their worst finishes in the last five years with just five losses away from the centennial mark and six games remaining. They sit fourth in the AL West.
The Athletics, who made wholesale firings on their minor-league development staff, also aren’t done yet. While the search for a general manager is on, a search might soon be on for a new coach. Nightengale reported rumblings around the league that skipper Mark Kotsay could be on the way out.
However, he added that Kotsay has a contract through 2028, when the A's are expected to make their move to Las Vegas.
Kotsay could manage the club for a season in Las Vegas and see from there. Overall, his job is considered safe. The current focus is on the vacant general manager position.
A's candidates for general manager
Here's who the A's have contacted about the position:
Mike Rizzo, Washington Nationals former general manager
Mike Rizzo recently had a formal interview with the Athletics for their vacant GM position, according to Nightengale.
Rizzo would be a strong candidate for the A's. He helped build the Washington Nationals into a powerhouse. Rizzo's tenure in Washington, which began in 2006, was highlighted by the 2019 World Series championship.
Rizzo was fired by the Nationals during the 2025 season after a rough start and not having seen success since their covenant 2019 season. Under Rizzo, the Nationals made five playoff appearances and won four division titles, one National League pennant and one World Series title.
But it's not a foregone conclusion that Rizzo would choose the A's. He's also expected to have strong interest from the Houston Astros, who also have a vacancy at general manager. The 'Stros won't begin their interview process until their season concludes.
Billy Owens, Athletics assistant general manager, director of player personnel
The Athletics have also looked internally for their next general manager. The A's interviewed their current assistant general manager and director of player personnel Billy Owens.
Owens has spent 28 years with the organization after starting as a scout and minor league hitting coach in 1999.
His longstanding tenure with the franchise gives him strong consideration. If Owens is promoted, he would become the first Black general manager in the history of the organization.
James Click, Toronto Blue Jays vice president of baseball strategy
Another candidate the A's are looking at is James Click, vice president of baseball strategy with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Click is considered a strong candidate and has held his capacity with the Blue Jays since 2023.
Prior to the Blue Jays, he spent three seasons with the Houston Astros as their general manager. Click came in as the successor to Jeff Luhnow in 2020. Click is credited with success in Houston, having helped put the team together that won the 2022 World Series.
