ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Mauricio Dubon #14 of the Atlanta Braves fields a ground ball during the seventh inning of Game Three of the Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you missed the Braves financial release on Wednesday, it was a little unimpressive. They didn’t really cash in on the more expensive season tickets or the September playoff games. However, BravesVision is an unqualified success and so were the 2026 City Connect jerseys. Those were the highlights from the released numbers. One of the other highlights was this statement by Terry McGuirk:
I want to be clear about how I see this season. It was real progress. We went from missing the playoffs to winnings the division and a postseason series. Our core is in place. Our young players go better and our new manager’s first year was a success. Our minor league system is stocked with future major league talent. We’re pleased with where this organization is headed and will keep working to build on it in 2027.… Coming into this season, we made a deliberate decision to invest in our roster and our major league payroll was meaningfully higher as a result.
Are you sure about this, Terry? Below are the meaningful salaries that went away in 2025 and contracts and raises that were added in 2026.
OUT:
Marcell Ozuna (-16 million)
Jurickson Profar (-7.5 million, he played half the year in 2025 and 0 games in 2026)
Pierce Johnson (-7 million)
IN:
Ha-Seong Kim (20 million)
Robert Suarez (13 million)
Mike Yastremski (9 million)
Joel Payamps (2.5 million)
Mauricio Dubon (~5 million acquired via trade)
Spencer Strider (16 million more)
Reynaldo Lopez (6 million more)
Aaron Bummer (5.5 million more)
The Braves added 77 million, but 27.5 of that number was due to contracts going up in value. However it got there, they had eight meaningful contracts added and three removed. The sum total of their 77 million dollars added would yield 2.4 WAR. That’s Mauricio Dubon’s total, because the other seven returned 0.0 WAR. The WAR total from players in 2025 that didn’t return was 2.9. So for all of their moves, they went backwards. The Braves had a much better season this year, but it had nothing to do with the money added. This week’s financial results really aided the argument not spending money on higher salaries just to spend money.
So did the Braves make a “deliberate decision” to buy wins in 2026? Whatever that decision was, let’s not repeat it please.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 04: Tyler Herro #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts behind Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden on November 04, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Bucks 109-102. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to halt a five-game slide as they take on Eastern Conference heavyweight Boston Celtics, who beat Milwaukee by seven points without Jayson Tatum on Wednesday. The Bucks and Celtics seem to be moving in entirely different directions. After a slow start to the season, Boston is surging at 7-2 and challenging the Sixers for the No. 1 spot in the conference. Meanwhile, the Bucks are 1-8 and face a daunting schedule that could easily extend their losing streak. On the plus side, Milwaukee’s youth looks strong—Brayden Burries looks great, and Nate Ament is taking exciting developmental steps—and despite the horrible record, we’ve been treated to some really exciting Tyler Herro performances. What else can we look forward to?
The Task Ahead
The Boston Celtics have been on a tear recently. They’ve won their last two—Wednesday’s back-and-forth win over Milwaukee and a blowout Friday win over the Charlotte Hornets—and have claimed five wins in their last six games. They’re second in the East, half a game behind the Sixers, and, with the addition of Paul George, look like an early title contender.
Moreover, aside from some glaring valleys—namely the season opener against the Detroit Pistons—Jayson Tatum has performed at an MVP level so far. His highlights include a 36-point near-triple-double against the Knicks, a 40-point outburst against the Nets (that included a game-winning shot), and a recent 34-point near-triple-double against the Hornets in just 29 minutes. But it hasn’t been all Tatum; Paul George has averaged just under 20 PPG on solid shooting, Derrick White remains the ultimate glue guy, and Neemias Queta anchors one of the league’s best defenses. In three words: Boston is back. In four words: Boston is really back. In five words… you get it.
Injury Report
Bucks:
Bogoljub Markovic: Out (G League assignment)
Celtics:
Chris Cenac Jr: Out (G League assignment)
Player to Watch
Derrick White is always fun to watch, especially as he eases into a more offensively significant role in Boston. White is a connective guard with a high basketball IQ and solid playmaking, but he is also an elite defender who can shut down on the perimeter. Against Milwaukee on Wednesday, the veteran guard scored 24 points on 7/18 shooting and added seven assists. White scored 18 points on 6/10 shooting with five assists and four boards in Boston’s demolition of the Hornets. He’ll be a key point-of-attack defender who could frustrate a Milwaukee backcourt prone to turnovers. Watching Brayden Burries go up against one of his draft comparisons in White will also be interesting.
Projected Starters
Bucks
Position
Celtics
Brayden Burries
PG
Derrick White
Tyler Herro
SG
Hugo Gonzalez
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SF
Paul George
Kyle Kuzma
PF
Jayson Tatum
Myles Turner
C
Neemias Queta
Game Details
Who: Milwaukee Bucks (1-8) vs. Boston Celtics (7-2).
The Celtics lead by at least 15 points by the end of the first quarter. The Celtics led Milwaukee 28-14 by the end of the first frame in their last meeting, and that was without Tatum. Boston’s aggressive defense could give the streaky Bucks a tough time, and the C’s have the star power on offense to make this a one-sided affair.
Joe Nossek, who did a little bit of everything during two coaching tenures with the White Sox, was born on this day, 86 years ago. | (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
1920 For a few days, the White Sox were members of the National League.
With many owners dissatisfied with the National Agreement (governing the game, the majors, the minors, and all baseball commerce), 11 clubs hatched a plan to form a new National League — a single league including every team. Included in this “Allied Eleven” were the White Sox.
With all 16 MLB teams gathering at the Congress Hotel in Chicago, the “Allied Eleven” met in one room and “Loyal Five” (to the American League, consisting of Cleveland, Detroit, the Philadelphia A’s, St. Louis Browns and Washington) another, with Senators owner Clark Griffith shuttling between the two rooms as messenger. When agreement couldn’t be struck to keep the AL-NL MLB dynamic going, the White Sox, Yankees and Red Sox all resigned from the AL and joined the National League.
Cooler heads prevailed four days later, with the leagues remaining intact and the approval of Kenesaw Landis as baseball’s first commissioner was a key part of a redrawn National Agreement. The decisions and changes made at these 1920 meetings largely define the structure of baseball today, more than 100 years later.
1940 Joe Nossek, longtime White Sox coach over two stints in Chicago, was born, in Cleveland. He first joined Tony La Russa’s staff from 1984 to 1986, and returned for a much longer stint that represented his last work in the majors, from 1991-2003. Nossek was a bench coach during some of his second tenure with the White Sox, but was known as an “eye in the sky” coach, specializing in stealing signs from opponents.
Nossek honed his bird-dogging skills as a seven-year outfielder in the majors, suiting up for the Twins, A’s and Cardinals.
1977 The upstart South Side Hit Men, who led the AL West for about a third of the season and took baseball by storm in peaking at 25 games better than .500, were laid to rest with the loss of outfielder and folk hero Richie Zisk, who signed a 10-year, $2.3 million deal with the Texas Rangers.
Zisk was the lone All-Star for the White Sox in 1977, finishing seventh on the club with 2.7 WAR, and fifth among hitters. His 30 home runs were second on the team; among them one ball on the Comiskey Park roof and another in its center field bleachers, rare feats both.
Zisk duplicated his All-Star selection in Texas in 1978, but never again came close to the production he put up for the White Sox. He was out of baseball with four seasons still remaining on his contract.
Losing Zisk spotlighted the down side of owner Bill Veeck’sdesperate Rent-a-Player concept, as star relievers Terry Forster and Goose Gossage had been shipped out to secure just one year of the slugger.
1999 South Carolina Rep. Jim DeMint’s resolution to honor Shoeless Joe Jackson is passed in the House of Representatives, with the author saying, “it is worthy for this body to take a few minutes to stand up for fairness, and right an old wrong.” While the resolution certainly takes its spirit from Jackson’s depiction in Field of Dreams than the outfielder’s own confession as a participant in the Black Sox scandal, but it stops short of calling for Jackson’s Hall of Fame induction.
Jackson was never listed on a Hall of Fame ballot despite being eligible for the Hall until 1991, when the decision was made that players on the permanently ineligible list cannot be eligible for induction. Due to a reversal of status by commissioner Rob Manfred, as of 2025 Jackson is again Hall-eligible.
2000 On the basis of an unexpected Central Division championship and 95-win season, White Sox skipper Jerry Manuel was named the Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. He ran away with the award, beating out Art Howe of Oakland, 134-74. Manuel got 25 first-place votes out of a possible 28. Part of the rout stemmed from the fact that the young White Sox commanded such a paltry payroll, ranking 21st out of 30 teams.
However, Manuel wasn’t able to work any magic in the playoffs, as his pitching staff was in shambles due to injury, and they were swept out in three straight by the Mariners.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Mickey Gasper #30 of the Boston Red Sox hits a home run during the first inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 4, 2026 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season. Today, we look at one of the most improbable, incredible months in baseball history.
On the final day of August, the hottest hitter in all of Major League Baseball, Mickey Gasper, returned to the Red Sox lineup after a brief, and unnecessary, detour. Upon his return, he did what he had been doing the entire month. He homered, immediately, in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game against the Mariners at 1-1. It was Gasper’s sixth home run of August, a month which he didn’t even play a game at the MLB level until the 17th. For a player who had two home runs in 92 career games entering that month.
In his next at bat, NESN flashed arguably the single craziest stat that they had ever posted on our television screens.
Now, was there a little bit of small sample bias here? Certainly. Was Barry Bonds also the first player in history to balloon to a Size 9 hat during April of 2004? Almost certainly. You can take everything on there with a grain of salt. Gasper had 38 plate appearances in August at that moment. Ted Williams had 33 plate appearances in September of 1957. Of course, Williams also reached base in 16 consecutive plate appearances during that time; a Modern Era record that still stands today. By the way, Williams hit .453 in the second half that year.
What made this graphic all the more improbable was that Gasper had been demoted to Triple-A the day before. It was prior to the final game of the disastrous four game set at the Yankees, with Roman Anthony and Trevor Story returning from the IL at the same time. It was bad karma, and the Red Sox got what they deserved that day, losing 16-1. It wasn’t the only bad karma that week, with paying customers getting the Jedixson Paez Game just a couple of days later.
Gasper spent the day at home in New Jersey, as he wouldn’t need to report to Worcester until the next day. As he explained:
“I spent about 15 hours hanging out with my dogs and my pets, just hanging out at the house. Mom made a nice dinner,” Gasper said. “I was just relaxing, getting my mind right, just preparing for what was ahead of me. I watched the whole game, so I did see Willson come out [early]. But I was eating dinner and then I saw I had three missed calls from [chief baseball officer Craig Breslow], so I figured something was up. I gave him a call right back and got on a flight this morning.”
But, back to that 1.827 OPS. Gasper was recalled on the 17th thanks to an incredible Triple-A slash line of .337/.450/.566 with a 165 wRC+. As I wrote, for whatever reason, in a Minor Lines just three days earlier, “The guy shows up for work every day and will be ready for the call when needed. I expect to see him hitting .300 somewhere at the age of 40.”
In his first three games, against the Diamondbacks, Gasper started as the designated hitter and he homered in all three of them. The most memorable being the third one, a three-run homer to tie the game at 5-5.
A week later, at Miami, Gasper mixed in a two homer game, the only two runs that the Red Sox scored until extra innings, where they went on to win 7-3. At this point, Gasper was catching on nationally, as he was having one of the greatest eight game stretches of all-time.
Gasper walked ten times in the month, and struck out just twice. His final hit of the month was the early home run against Seattle, as he went 1-for-4 with a walk that day, and the final month long OPS was a measly 1.671, down from the graphic’s 1.827. The full slash line over 12 games: .400/.571/1.100.
He homered on his first at bat of September as well, one of four homers that month, finishing with ten on the season before a severe biceps injury ended Gasper’s year just before the playoffs. Offseason surgery will have him out 4-6 months, but the 31-year-old deserves a chance to start the season with the big league squad, at catcher, infield, or otherwise, to prove that the third greatest OPS of all-time “modern day Ted Williams” was no fluke.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 07: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket against Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the game at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets hit their first losing streak of the season on Saturday night, as they let the Suns run all over them to start, battled back, but then couldn’t close out the game.
For their last loss against Minnesota, it was a ghost of last season — execution — that was a main culprit. This time, it was shooting. The Rockets couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn, and you have to credit the Phoenix defense. They looked like the fresher team in the fourth quarter, when they shot 11-for-22 from the field, while the Rockets were only 10-for-27. In fact, for the game, Houston shot just 38 percent from the field, while allowing the Suns to shoot 48 percent. You’re not gonna win many that way.
In fact, the only Rocket player with a semi-decent game was Jabari Smith Jr., who continues to break out this season offensively. Smith went for 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block, though he was just 1-for-4 from deep. Still, Smith was the only Rockets player who could hit some shots outside of Fred VanVleet. FVV went for 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 6-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-9 from deep. VanVleet mostly played a clean game with zero turnovers, however, you want to see greater assist numbers, and with the offense stuck in the mud most of the game, you also want to see a greater impact from a distribution standpoint. But when no one is hitting shots…
Kevin Durant led the Rockets in scoring with 21 points, and he also had 10 boards and 3 assists, but he shot just 5-for-14 for the game, including 1-for-5 in a decisive fourth quarter that the Rockets lost. Alperen Sengun had 15 points, but he was just 5-for-16 from the field. Houston’s bench also shot just 6-for-25 for the game, including a combined 3-for-16 from Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard. Reed played just 13 minutes in this one, and it is increasingly appearing he is the odd man out in the rotation, especially if the three isn’t falling — and it wasn’t on Saturday at just 2-for-6 from deep.
The Suns were led by Devin Booker’s 24 points, while former Rocket Jalen Green had 16 points and 6 assists, and other former Rocket Dillon Brooks had 11 points and 4 boards while hitting 3 triples.
Houston falls to 7-3 on the season, and after a fast start (just like last year), some warts are starting to appear (just like last year), including late-game execution, overall shooting, and rotation management, again many of the same issues as last season. Nevertheless, the team is currently on a 57-win pace, but with the Western Conference wide open this year, you’d like to see the Rockets looking a little tighter.
The team returns to action Monday night at home against the Denver Nuggets.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 03: Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches in the first inning during the National League Divisional Series game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 03, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It has been 10 days since the 2026 season concluded with the Milwaukee Brewers winning their first World Series championship in franchise history. Unsurprisingly, there haven’t been any major moves that have drastically changed the landscape of the sport, and until that first spark is ignited, we must sit back and wait patiently as the offseason trudges on.
The main concern for the Dodgers this offseason is the status of free agent Tarik Skubal, and they aren’t the only ones vying for his services. Teams like the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres have all expressed interest in signing the still-reigning two-time American League Cy Young award winner, but the details surrounding a potential contract are mirky.
The Dodgers have already shown over the last three years that they are willing to hand out long-term contracts with record-breaking annual salaries while also dishing out short-term deals with inflated annual values. Katie Woo of The Athletic spoke with A.J. Pierzynski of the Foul Territory podcast about what type of deal Skubal will sign, where she envisions the Dodgers giving Skubal a contract more similar to that of Kyle Tucker rather than Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
“I don’t see the Dodgers shelling out the long-term mega contract for the same reasons they didn’t to for Kyle Tucker. Andrew Friedman wants to prolong the team’s competitive window… Could we see a similar structure to what the Dodgers offered Kyle Tucker— shorter term with a much higher AAV— as their option? That’s certainly the thought process going into the GM Meetings.”
Skubal will be entering his age-30 season in 2027, and Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com writes about how pitchers with historic dominance in their 20’s have fared once they are on the wrong side of 30.
Whether Skubal’s next contract looks like a success will depend on his ability to stay on the mound. But chances are he still has at least a few Cy Young-caliber seasons ahead.
In an effort to break out of camp next year, Josue De Paula is doing everything in his power to ensure that he can be a viable defensive option in the outfield, and that includes working with former Gold Glove award winner and 2018 World Series champion Jackie Bradley Jr., reports Dylan Hernandez of the California Post.
Jacob Fowler has faced plenty of oddities in his young NHL career, but tracking a green apple sailing toward his crease mid-play was a first.
During the second period of Saturday’s Original Six matchup at Scotiabank Arena, a fan launched a small green apple, later confirmed to be fake, from the stands, sending it skidding onto the ice right in front of the Montreal Canadiens goaltender while play was live. Referee T.J. Luxmore collected the object, pocketed it, and later produced it during a stoppage, holding it up near Fowler in a moment that left the broadcast booth and viewers doing double-takes.
“I was pretty dialled in but I saw an apple come on the ice right in front of me. I’m used to tracking a black puck not a green apple,” Fowler told Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas afterward, laughing. “I saw that one and (Luxmore) told me he would have blown the play dead if they had gotten in the zone so thankfully they didn’t get one there.”
Fowler, still relatively new to the league’s quirks, handled the moment with the same poise he’s shown throughout a strong start (8-1-1). He joked with the official about the hypothetical.
"It's so surreal. I still feel like a little kid every time I get to put on the gear. It's so special to play in this organization."
“As a young player, I try to stay in the good graces of the referees. I always ask them how it’s going. He showed me what it was. I asked him if the goal would have counted if they scored. He said, ‘We’ll see!’” Fowler recounted.
The incident occurred amid a game in which the Canadiens extended their point streak to 10 games. Alex Newhook scored twice, Chris Kreider and Zachary Bolduc added goals, and Fowler held firm after Toronto cut a 3-0 deficit to 3-2 early in the third. William Nylander and Gavin McKenna scored for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped four of five.
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees hits a solo home run in the third inning during Game 5 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On most days in our series profiling one Yankee per day, the player in question has seen his Yankees career come to a close. Thousands of people have donned the pinstripes, and in most cases, that period of their lives has come to an end, allowing us time to look back and reflect on their careers.
Today, we celebrate the birthday of one Giancarlo Stanton, a man whose Yankees career has not yet finished. But Stanton’s Yankee tenure has already stretched nine years, with just one guaranteed year left on his contract. The bulk of his Yankees story has been written. It’s a story with more ups and downs than I think any one of us expected, and as he stares down what could be the final chapter of his career, his Yankees legacy stands as one of the strangest among the many greats that have played for the team.
Giancarlo Cruz-Michael Stanton Born: November 8, 1989 (Panorama City, CA) Yankees Tenure: 2018-present
Giancarlo Cruz-Michael Stanton was born in 1989 to Mike Stanton and Jacinta Garay in Panorama City, California, a Los Angeles neighborhood that was also home to former Yankee Zack Britton. Stanton grew up a Dodgers fan and became a multi-sport star Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, excelling at football, basketball, and of course baseball.
Born Giancarlo, Stanton preferred to be called Mike for part of his childhood. “Why did you name me [Giancarlo]?” he asked his mother in high school. However he was called, Stanton was a prodigious athlete, and received scholarship offers from UCLA and UNLV, ultimately accepting a scholarship from USC to play baseball.
He would never make it to campus, as the Florida Marlins took Stanton in the second round of the 2007 MLB Draft, and Stanton decided to forgo his scholarship and accept a $475K signing bonus from the Fish. Stanton would quickly make a name for himself as a prospect, crushing 39 homers in the minors in 2008 and rocketing towards the top of industry prospect lists, thanks to his sterling performance and undeniable physical tools.
By 2010, Stanton ranked among the top five prospects in baseball per Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus, with scouts lauding not just his immense raw power, but also his impressive mobility for a player his size, not to mention a cannon arm that helped make him a high-quality defensive right fielder. After smashing 21 homers in just two months at Triple-A, the Marlins called the 20-year-old Stanton up in June, and he quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young talents in the National League, hitting a grand slam at home against the Rays for his first career home run.
Stanton would hit 22 homers and run a 118 OPS+ as part of a strong rookie campaign in Florida. In his first full season in 2011, Stanton hit 34 bombs with a 141 OPS+ across 150 games, kicking off a stretch in which Stanton was solidified as one of the game’s premier sluggers. Between 2011 and 2016, Stanton hit 186 homers, finished runner-up to Clayton Kershaw for the 2014 NL MVP, and posted a 145 OPS+, all while continuing to play a strong right field. His level of play was so stellar and consistent that he convinced the notoriously stingy Marlins to pay up, inking Stanton to a 13-year, $325-million contract extension after the 2014 season that was at that point the richest contract signed in the history of American sports. Along the way, he took a trip to Europe and decided to embrace his old name, and started to go by Giancarlo once more.
And it turns out, all this was just an appetizer for Stanton’s historic 2017 campaign. Playing in a famously pitcher-friendly home park in Miami, Stanton made what was at the time the most spirited run at a 60-homer season in the post-steroid era, ultimately finishing with 59 dingers in a season that earned him the NL MVP award. Only Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Aaron Judge, Roger Maris, Cal Raleigh, and Babe Ruth have ever hit more in a single season.
Stanton was at the peak of his powers, and that’s when New York came calling to see if he’d want to use those powers in service of an actual pennant chase. From the moment he signed his historic deal with the Marlins, those on the outside always wondered if it was a contract meant to be traded.
Indeed, with Stanton on top of the world and in MVP form, the Marlins’ new ownership group—which included former Yankees star Derek Jeter—took the opportunity to cash out, sending Stanton (and $25 million) to the Yankees for the modest return of Starlin Castro and prospects Jose Devers and Jorge Guzmán.
It was a thunderous move, the Yankees seizing the chance to pair Judge, coming off a historic season of his own, with an equally powerful running mate. With the Bombers riding high after a surprising 2017 season, the possibilities seemed endless as Stanton came to town. The Yankees had two MVP-caliber bats in the middle of their order, a bedrock of young talent, a deep farm system and even deeper pockets. Stanton’s arrival signaled that the time was now, for the Yankees to re-cement themselves as baseball’s Evil Empire, to establish a new reign of dominance over the league.
On Opening Day, Stanton smashed two homers as the Yankees won in Toronto. The next week, Stanton, Judge, and Gary Sánchez homered in a 7-2 win over the Rays at Yankee Stadium. The new era truly had begun, the first of what would seemingly be endless nights where the Yankees’ power trio would all homer and lead the team to victory.
But no sooner did the era begin that it started to end. Judge was hit by a pitch in July and missed two months, only returning at the end of the season. Sánchez, the club’s fabulously talented catcher, struggled through an injury-plagued season and hit .186. Stanton was left to carry the lineup, and he did a fine, if unspectacular, job of it. Though he didn’t reach the heights of his 2017 MVP campaign, Stanton provided reliable production while the sluggers around him were struck down, hitting .266/.343/.509 with 38 homers and 100 RBI. The Yankees survived the injuries to Judge and others and won 100 games for the first time since 2009 thanks in part to Stanton’s steady presence, though their postseason run ended in a disappointing ALDS loss to the Red Sox.
Stanton and the Yankees returned in 2019, looking forward to a healthier year from their stars that would allow their sluggers to click at the same time. Little did they know that Stanton’s body was entering a period of unreliability that lasts until this day.
When the Yankees had acquired Stanton, his injury record was long, but perhaps not too worrisome. Although Stanton had missed significant time in multiple seasons with the Marlins, much of that could be attributed to freak accidents, such as when he hurt his wrist on a swing in 2015, or the scary incident in 2014 that saw Stanton get hit in the face by a Mike Fiers fastball (soon becoming one of the league’s first stars to wear a more protective helmet). But the signs were there. In 2013, Stanton missed six weeks with a hamstring strain. He missed a few weeks at the end of the 2016 season with another hamstring problem. Just two soft-tissue injuries, but they hinted at what would prove to be Stanton’s biggest foe in the second half of his career.
In April of 2019, Stanton hit the IL with a biceps strain. He’d return in June but go back on the IL with an injury to a ligament in his knee. He posted a 138 OPS+ for the season in just 18 games. Stanton played only 23 games (with a 145 OPS+) in the COVID-shortened 2020 season thanks to another hamstring strain. He strained his quad early in 2021, and when he returned, the Yankees largely used him as a designated hitter. The decision paid dividends, as Stanton enjoyed a relatively clean bill of health the rest of that year, posting a 136 OPS+ in 139 games.
Although injuries had already ravaged his body by this point and relegated him to DH duty, there was hope that now, with Stanton focused on providing value with his bat and staying off the outfield grass, the slugger would be able to stay productive and in the lineup. The first half of 2022 lent credence to that hope, as Stanton and Judge blitzed opposing pitchers; both hit at least 10 homers in the season’s first 32 games, just the third time in franchise history two players had done so. Stanton ran an OPS near .900 for the first two months of the season, but injuries struck again. While Judge would keep up his early-season pace and set a new AL home run record, Stanton started to have ankle issues in late May, issues that would plague him for the rest of the year. Stanton would miss 52 games and post the worst batting average, OBP, and OPS+ figures of his career even when he was on the field.
Five years into his Yankee tenure, Stanton had become a strange and polarizing figure in Yankee lore. When healthy, he was still great, if not as great as his peak with the Marlins. He also authored nigh-countless signature moments in the playoffs, always finding a way to contribute come October no matter how banged up he’d been from March to September, smashing a home run in the 2018 Wild Card Game against Oakland, one in the 2019 ALCS versus Houston, and going deep four times in the 2020 ALDS against the Rays.
That was the strange paradox of Giancarlo Stanton as his Yankee tenure developed; he felt indispensable at times, but he was also the most unreliable player on the roster. The story continued in 2023 and 2024; Stanton suffered another hamstring in 2023 as he limped to the worst season of his career with an 87 OPS+, and in 2024, he strained his hamstring again. This time, though, he healed in time for the playoffs, almost single-handedly leading the Yankees to their first AL pennant in 15 years and earning 2024 ALCS MVP honors. Stanton bombarded Cleveland with four homers in five games; Guardians pitchers had no answers.
That preceded a career renaissance. In 2025, Stanton, of course, got injured, but he returned midseason and put together the best stretch of regular-season performance in his Yankees career. His 155 OPS+ on the year was his highest as a Yankee, but he went through an unholy midsummer stretch during which Aaron Judge was dealing with an elbow injury, carrying the Yankees with a 1.253 OPS and nine homers in August.
The renaissance was oh-so brief. Stanton revealed after the year that he’d been dealing with injuries to both his elbows, and after a so-so start to 2026, Stanton hit the IL with a calf problem with a seemingly minor lower-leg injury that ended up scuttling the rest of his regular season. Stanton returned to pinch-hit in the playoffs, but ultimately struck out twice in two plate appearances after playing just 24 games during the regular season.
That is where we stand with him today. Say the name “Giancarlo Stanton” and the first thing that should come to mind is his immense power, the laser-beam home runs that only he can hit. The towering grand slams, the signature playoff moments that he’s authored in pinstripes. But also at the front of mind is everything that’s been missing. Stanton is both a towering figure in Yankee history and an absence.
For all the great moments he’s created, he’s also missed so many, and at the end of the day, after hitting 267 homers with a 147 OPS+ in eight years as a Marlin, he’s hit 189 homers with a 123 OPS+ in nine years as a Yankee — though that doesn’t include the 18 career playoff blasts in 50 games, as many as Mickey Mantle in 65 games.
Stanton is a walking, mighty contradiction. He’s a player whose fingerprints are all over many of the Yankees’ most memorable moments from the last decade, and yet his absences loom just as large. He’s the most physically imposing human to ever play Major League Baseball, and the most fragile. The man gifted with some of the greatest physical tools in the game’s history is opposed and thwarted almost entirely by his own body.
Today, we wish him a happy 37th birthday as he and the Yankees stare into the unknown. He has one year left on his deal, and reports say he’ll come to spring training next year with a chance to show what he’s got left. He could have a 2025 miracle run left in him, or nothing. He’s just 44 homers from 500, a Hall of Fame-caliber figure that’s so close and yet so, so far. We will all be so lucky if, at age-37, Stanton finds just enough of the elixir of youth to stay on the field for some stretch of time, long enough to swat a few more mythical home runs and create a few more memories.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs stands as God Bless America is played during the seventh inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you’ve all had a lovely and relaxing weekend. It’s been a good weekend for the Cubs, as both Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs themselves have walked away with some new hardware and accolades. We’ll also take a look at some hot stove rumblings, and also where some Cubs might end up playing next season.
Let’s jump into it and gear up for the week ahead.
Make that Platinum Glove winner, Pete Crow-Armstrong.
The Cubs need pitching help this offseason. It’s no secret that this has to be one of their top priorities over the winter, and of course this being hot stove season, the rumor mill is going hot and heavy with suggestions as to which free agent pitchers the Cubs could target. And for once, it’s not just about Tarik Skubal. Three additional pitchers who are being connected as potential targets for the Cubs are Freddy Peralta (but who doesn’t want Freddy Peralta), Michael King, and also a possible reunion with Clay Holmes.
Jed Hoyer is admitting his bullpen moves for 2026 didn’t pan out, saying, “I did a poor job in the bullpen this year, full stop… The guys we acquired this winter didn’t produce nearly as well as they did a year ago.” Whether Hoyer will actually learn anything from this going into the new year is another question entirely, of course.
Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne thinks the Sox could consider adding Shota Imanga to their rotation, but it would probably depend on what happens this offseason with Sonny Gray. Browne said of the potential move, “Even if the rotation looks to be a strong suit, you can never count out Breslow from adding more rotation depth, particularly if Gray signs elsewhere. One name that intrigues me? Shota Imanaga. Breslow was really fond of him when he was scouting him for the Cubs three years ago. The Cubs wound up signing him, but Breslow was in his early stages with the Red Sox at that point.”
Food For Thought:
Last night I watched a Hallmark Christmas movie themed around the Chicago Bears. This is the third of the NFL-themed holiday movies that Hallmark has done. The first was an ode to the Chiefs (no real surprise there as Hallmark is based out of Kansas City) and the second was structured around the Buffalo Bills. As someone who is a regular viewer of Hallmark movies, Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story was charming, and less about Christmas than it was about a family’s connection to the Bears and to football in general.
I’m also not much of a football person, so watching the movie got me to thinking: why hasn’t Hallmark partnered with MLB? There’s a real lack of original Hallmark content over the summer months, and baseball fandom seems like an ideal backdrop for a charming summer love story.
Anyway, I realize I’m in the minority of people who are viewers of both sports and Hallmark movies, but I feel like the crossover really writes itself.
If you’re at all curious about the Bears-themed movie (there are some fun cameos for Bears fans, which is always a highlight of the NFL tie-in movies), here’s a trailer. Admittedly, I felt like the Chicago background could have been more Chicago-y, but also Hallmark rarely films in the cities they’re set in, but it would be fun to see more of the city.
Would you watch a Cubs-themed Hallmark movie? I feel like I’d enjoy that a lot.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 2: View of a Colorado Rockies hat and Wilson glove during game between the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 2, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the off-season trudges ever onward, we here at Purple Row wanted to try something new (inspired by our friends over at the AZ Snake Pit) with our readers in mind. Therefore, we are kicking off the first annual Purple Row Awards! Here’s how it works:
For the next several Sundays in our “This Week in Purple” post, we will reveal the award category and provide a few nominations from our staff here on the site.
If you have a nomination of your own, post it in the comments section. Please include a link to the video if possible from MLB.com’s Film Room.
On Wednesday, we will post a poll on The Feed for readers to select their winner for the award. The finalists will be determined by rec’s in the comments, and the poll will close on Friday. Make sure to rec your favorites!
We will reveal our winner on Saturday!
So without further ado, allow us to introduce the first award category and staff nominations!
The Purple Row Awards, 2026: Best Defensive Play
Jordan Beck’s home run robbery: April 11th at San Diego
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 02: AJ Green #20 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for portraits during media day on October 02, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last week, despite the losses, Bucks fans were happy—if not more—with Taylor Jenkins and his rotations. But something about that equation was worrisome. In fact, I pondered as much to end the week’sBucks Reacts Results:
With rotation contentment high but wins low, the question thus begs: how long can this relationship coexist? That is, how long will it be until the losing takes its toll? Here’s hoping that becomes a moot point.
This week, as the losses start to mount and the shine of a new season appears to be rubbing off, that point has not become moot. And, as the saying goes, nice guys finish last.
Chivalry isn’t dead (but maybe it should be)
Yes, according to most fans—66% in fact—you’ll find these Milwaukee Bucks helping out at The Leftorium, reading to underprivileged kids, or helping your grandmother cross the street. They’re too nice. And their new mantra’s got nothin’ on ye olde one:
Naughty or nice, these Bucks suck
But it’s not really a question of demeanour, at least according to a swathe of commenters. From their perspective, the Bucks are simply not talented enough:
Yikes. Talk about glass all empty.
Contrary to the point
Perhaps, though, it’s not about whether the Bucks are too nice or not talented enough. Perhaps it’s an “intensity and urgency” matter.
Sounds awfully familiar to “energy and effort.” That you, Jason?
Finally, at least one fan hasn’t forgotten that time is a key part of the rebuild:
Thankfully, with Nate Ament (19), Kasparas Jakučionis (20), Brayden Burries (21), Kel’el Ware (22), Ousmane Dieng (23), and Ryan Rollins (24), these Bucks have plenty of time. And at least a few of ‘em are already ahead of the curve.
There you have it, BH fam. While these Bucks may be too nice, that’s not a bad position to start from. After all, as Laurell K. Hamilton wrote in her 2005 novel A Stroke of Midnight:
My father had taught me to be nice first, because you can always be mean later, but once you’ve been mean to someone, they won’t believe the nice anymore. So be nice, be nice, until it’s time to stop being nice, then destroy them.
That’s right, the Bucks might be in the trenches, but a fire brews.
For the second time this season, the Montreal Canadiens visited the Toronto Maple Leafs, but this time the Habs wore their Hometown Remix jersey, and they were without Josh Anderson (out for personal reasons). Owen Beck deservedly moved up in the lineup to replace the alternate captain, and Jacob Fowler returned to net, facing Toronto for the first time in his career. Meanwhile, the Leafs went back to Sergei Bobrovsky, who had three losses in his last three starts.
Beck slotted right along Jake Evans and Chris Kreider, taking over from Anderson while Alex Newhook remained on the fourth line with Kirby Dach and Oliver Kapanen. Toronto was getting John Tavares back after the center had missed nine games with a lower-body injury, and with Kirill Marchenko also injured, his comeback was more than welcome for the hosts.
Newhook might have been demoted to the fourth line on Nick Suzuki’s return, but this fourth line doesn’t play like a fourth line. The Newfoundlander scored two goals in the first frame, allowing the Habs to go back to the room with the lead after 20 minutes, and Montreal never surrendered the lead.
As for Dach, he played with a lot of energy, and in a third-frame scrum, he helped Arber Xhekaj when he was surrounded by three Leafs. On that play, Xhekaj got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for face-washing Teddy Blueger, who had taken a few shots at a tied-up Dach. The Canadiens’ defenseman was the only player sent to the box on that sequence, which even puzzled Leafs fans. After the game, Martin St-Louis said:
I feel bad for Jacko; I don’t think that was a penalty.
As for Kapanen, he had an assist on the night, but he also won the four faceoffs he took. As Dach rightfully pointed out after the game, all three players on that line have played center over their careers, and it certainly helps them play on the defensive side of the puck.
One of the key moments of the game tonight came in the second period, when the Leafs pinned the Canadiens down in their own zone for over two minutes. Phillip Danault, Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle were all on the ice for 2:17 or more on that sequence. Normally, when a shift lasts that long, it ends in one of two ways: with a penalty or with a goal. Full marks to those five players for keeping it clean and not falling in the trap.
They finally got off the ice after Fowler made a save with the butt of his stick, which deflected off the crossbar and out of play. Some may say that was a stroke of luck, but as they say, you’ve got to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky.
Fantastic Fowler
If some were worried about Fowler being shaken up after the 5-4 OT loss on Tuesday night, he quickly put their minds at ease. In the first frame, he made a tremendous save on Auston Matthews, who was all alone in front of the net, and he even made it look easy. Once again tonight, the young netminder looked “Pricessque” out there; he’s calm, he’s collected, and he seems to embrace the pressure. He stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced, and when your netminder plays that well and is that calm, it certainly gives you some confidence.
In the post-game scrum, it was mentioned to St-Louis that when the Canadiens were up 3-2 in the third, and there was a TV timeout, Fowler was at the bench telling his teammates they were fine and there was no need to worry. That’s a 21-year-old. It’s rare to see such a young player take it upon himself to do that. It says a lot about how confident he is and how much of a leader he is.
Stopping The Bleeding
The Leafs got a power-play goal to come back into the game off a William Nylander one-timer, and less than a minute later, Gavin McKenna scored a second goal on a rebound. At that point, most people wondered if the Leafs were about to do what the Winnipeg Jets did to the Habs on Tuesday night, but they didn’t. Not only did the Canadiens stop the bleeding, but they also cauterized the wound, scoring a power-play goal five minutes later through Zachary Bolduc and ending the game with a big double-minor penalty kill on a Juraj Slafkovsky high-stick. The Canadiens have eight power-play goals this season, and three of them are Bolduc’s.
In that sequence, two of the four penalty killers broke their sticks, including Kaiden Guhle (the new Mike Matheson, broken-stick-wise), but they still came out unscathed. That’s two wins in Toronto so far this season and two big points, which tie them with the Boston Bruins atop the Atlantic Division at 25. The Hometown Remix jerseys are not cursed, and the Habs can protect a lead.
Oklahoma City Thunder broadcaster Michael Cage summed up this game perfectly: “In this game, sometimes you’re the bug, and sometimes you’re the windshield.” In this one, the Wizards were in the role of the bug.
Washington was no match for the Thunder. Oklahoma City took control early and the Wizards had no answer for their athleticism, execution, and swarming defensive presence.
The Wizards converted just 29.6% of their field goal attempts, including 7-43 from three-point range. That’s 16.3%. Which is bad. Very bad.
Positives for the Wizards were scarce. Among them — Alex Sarr grabbed 14 rebounds in 28 minutes. Bub Carrington shot 3-3 from deep. Bilal Coulibaly defended Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pretty well in the first quarter — SGA had two points on o-3 shooting when Coulibaly left the game. He immediately started scoring and finished the game with 30 points and 9 assists.
For Washington, it’s a third consecutive loss — their first three-game skid of the season. Before the game, head coach Brian Keefe talked with reporters about the team figuring out their formula for success. The team would be wise not to over-index on this game. It was a bad result, and the team looked awful.
Despite missing Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren (in some order, their second and third best players), OKC is a special case. It’s a championship-level team with something to prove. The Wizards need to learn to compete at that level, and the lesson of their last three games is that they’re still not close.
That’s not the end of world 10 games into the season. But they need to internalize that lesson and do the work to become competitive against high-level opponents.
From the Notebook
Kudos to the OKC stadium operations team — when the Wizards starters got introduced, they played Harry Potter theme music. Good job.
The Wizards entered the game with the NBA’s second best “in the paint” field goal percentage (62.2%). The Thunder had the NBA’s second best defensive paint FG% (holding opponents to just 50.2%). Safe to say OKC won that battle.
In the first quarter, the Wizards ran a pick-and-roll option out of a horns set for AJ Dybantsa. He had a choice of going left or right. It didn’t go great — he ended up battling his way into a mid-ranger, which he missed. The set was good, though.
Tre Mann got real minutes for the first time this season. He looked pretty good — quick, aggressive, athletic. I’d like to see more.
Jotted during the second quarter (could have been jotted anytime) — OKC defenders switch HARD.
Another second quarter note — OKC was doubling Trae Young to get the ball out of his hands. The other Wizards weren’t able to take make plays, in part because OKC defenders hustled back to their matchups and rotated so perfectly.
I thought maybe the Wizards had a chance of making things respectable — a thought that disappeared when I saw their possession of the second half. It was a pick-and-roll for Kyshawn George, who got caught in no-man’s land. The only teammate who cut was Coulibaly, who didn’t get free. That should have triggered a cascade of movement, but the other guys stood around until George was forced to take a difficult shot, which he missed.
The Wizards tried a small-ball lineup in the second half. It got shredded by Aday Mara and the Thunder.
FRISCO, TX - NOVEMBER 03: Jeremy Sochan of the Texas Legends poses for a portrait during G League media day on November 3, 2025 at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Sam Hodde/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What a ride Jeremy Sochan has had, and the new season is just getting underway. After nearly four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, he was waived and signed with the Knicks, picking up a championship ring when New York beat the Spurs in the 2026 Finals.
After New York, it appeared Sochan was spending the 2026-2027 season in Portland, but was waived after four preseason games. The Polish-American power forward declared for the G-League draft and one week later was chosen first overall by the Texas Legends.
Here he is earlier this week in his first press conference as a member of the Legends.
Jeremy Sochan with the most humble and thoughtful response to his last 10 months or so, from NBA Champion (Knicks) to a standard G-League contract (Texas Legends).
– Drafted 9th overall by the Spurs in 2022, Sochan was a focal point of their early rebuild. – 2025–26 season,… pic.twitter.com/n1ZUt3fkTI
“I think the way I grew up, my family, my parents; it’s always been like that. I could look at it negatively (the Portland situation). But when I look back at that situation, I think the two months I was there, I grew a lot. I was healthy throughout the whole training camp, preseason and open gym. So I think that was a blessing. When we got into preseason games, the minutes I got I think I used them to the best of my ability. I had good games. So what would be the point of being negative and angry for getting waived? Of course, you can look at it as that’s the NBA and I have a contract. But at the same time I have good momentum. So, why would I hold weight on something that I can’t control? And instead, be in this moment and do what I can do and keep that momentum going.”
According to Marc Spears, Sochan originally found out he was being waived by the Spurs through another player:
Ex-Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan says a teammate of his told him the Spurs wanted to waive him, and it bothered him that he found out that way:
“I thought I was going to be there for the rest of the season at least,” Sochan said of San Antonio. “And a few days after the trade… pic.twitter.com/z2vTe7T6qD
“I thought I was going to be there for the rest of the season at least. And a few days after the trade deadline, it’s funny. I don’t want to be messy or anything, but I found out from one of my teammates that they wanted to waive me, and it definitely hit me in a way. But again, I kind of had the mentality of, ‘It is what it is.’ I heard it was pretty possible from someone else, and then officially found out through my agent. So, that was definitely new to me.“
Texas Legends season kicks off tonight in Mexico City against the Capitanes.
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PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 7: Luke Kennard #8 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on November 7, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Saturday night’s victory over the Houston Rockets was easily the Phoenix Suns’ best win of the season. Granted, they’ve only won three games through their first eight, but this one felt different. Phoenix continued its recent trend of putting together quality first quarters, something that has become increasingly important given how frequently this team has found itself playing from behind. When the Suns fall into an early deficit, players tend to press, forcing the issue offensively and abandoning the systems and schemes designed to put them in positions to succeed.
But Saturday night presented a different kind of adversity. After building a lead that reached as many as 19 points, the Suns completely unraveled in the second quarter. They managed a miserable 12 points, shot 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, and apparently decided to let amber be the color of their energy as Houston closed the half on a 22-3 run to erase the deficit entirely (that’s a 311 joke). What had been a commanding Phoenix advantage was suddenly a tie game heading into the locker room.
And that’s where things got interesting. Throughout the second half, we witnessed a collection of quality performances from different players on both ends of the floor. There were timely offensive contributions, defensive adjustments, and moments when individual effort helped stabilize a team that had every reason to start questioning itself. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Suns had earned a 102-99 victory over one of the NBA’s most potent offenses.
That’s right. For the first time this season, Phoenix held an opponent under 100 points. And that opponent happened to be the Houston Rockets.
That accomplishment alone makes this victory impressive, but what stands out even more is how the Suns responded after their complete second-quarter meltdown. When you surrender a 19-point advantage in such a short period of time, it’s easy to fold. It’s easy to begin doubting yourself, questioning whether you have the personnel, discipline, or defensive capability to stop the opponent standing across from you. We’ve seen that uncertainty creep into this team’s play far too often through the opening weeks of the season.
Saturday night, however, was the first time we truly witnessed the mental toughness and fortitude that defined this team a season ago. The Suns refused to let one disastrous quarter dictate the outcome of the game. They regrouped, stood tall, and collectively found a way to shut down a Houston offense that had been operating like a well-oiled machine. In doing so, they earned, in every sense of the word, their third victory of the season.
Bright Side Baller Standings
Booker is up to three BSB’s after his 30-point aggressive performance against the Magic.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 8 against the Rockets. Here are your nominees:
