As most fans are aware, one of the Senators’ strengths as they enter another season will be their depth at centre.
Tim Stützle, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto and Stephen Halliday will likely occupy the four centre positions to begin the season. But the Sens also have several wingers with varying degrees of NHL experience in the middle, including Claude Giroux, Ridly Greig, William Eklund, Nick Cousins, Michael Amadio and André Burakovsky.
Now, the organization’s depth chart at centre may be about to get even deeper.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss whether the Sens will re-sign Drake Batherson while he's still eligible for a max eight year deal, and whether missing the Sept. 15th deadline is really that big a deal..
London Knights winger Jaxon Cover was selected by the Senators in June with the 32nd and final pick of the first round. His amazing story has been well told this summer. He grew up playing roller hockey in the Cayman Islands before making the switch to ice hockey as a teenager.
Because Cover has only been playing ice hockey for less than six years, his potential for improvement is already extremely high.
So that already makes him a fascinating prospect, but he may be adding another intriguing dimension to his game.
As Henry Brown at @SensProspects pointed out, Dale Hunter and company are currently auditioning Cover as the Knights’ second-line centre. He played there during his first two OHL preseason games, and clearly his saucer pass game is on point.
#AppleSauce
Jaxon Cover picked up an assist in his second OHL preseason game 🍎
The Victoria Royals are hosting the Knights in a rare two-game interleague series they've billed as “Clash of the Kingdoms." The Royals won the opener 7-2 on Friday night, and the second game is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
This could simply be the Knights kicking tires on possibilities, as most teams do in preseason. However, if the experiment continues, and especially if he thrives in the role, it would be an intriguing development for the Sens.
Success in the middle this season could even lead to Cover playing there again when he begins his freshman season at Penn State next year.
All else being equal, centres are generally valued more highly than wingers at the NHL Draft because of the additional responsibilities that come with the position. It is fair to wonder whether Cover might have been selected even earlier had teams already viewed him as a potential centre.
The Sens drafted Cover as a winger after he recorded 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 67 games with London during the 2025–26 season.
Even if he eventually returns to right wing, spending time at centre should benefit his development. The position demands greater defensive awareness, more responsibility down low, and a stronger understanding of all three zones.
Learning those details could help Cover become a more complete two-way player.
If he takes to the position, it would also make him valuable as an organizational asset. Every NHL team is searching for additional depth down the middle, and that would only increase Cover’s value, whether it's in Ottawa or as a future trade chip.
While in Victoria this week for exhibition games, Cover spoke to the OHL’s digital team about attending his first Senators development camp shortly after being drafted.
“Going to the Ottawa camp, just seeing the next level that those players have, and just how much stronger and faster they are… I want to just try to bring that level (to the Knights) and do the best I can with it.”
Again, two preseason games at the position do not make Cover a full-time centre, but the experiment is worth monitoring. First-round picks all enter professional hockey with major value. Some maintain it and become NHL players; others see their stock fall off.
But Cover now has two potential sources of untapped upside: his limited experience on the ice and now, the possibility that he could develop into a centre.
Few prospects from the 2026 NHL draft have more room for their stock to rise.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 02: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics looks on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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
A second round exit to the Knicks after a devastating injury to Jayson Tatum? We can stomach that.
A subsequent first round exit against another hated rival? It hurts to lose to the 76ers, but a rough shooting streak and losing Tatum for Game 7 adds a little context to another disappointing playoffs.
Now, heading into Year 5 after a Coach of the Year campaign, the Celtics are arguably better with Tatum replacing Jaylen Brown as the #1 option and veterans Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley Jr. rounding out the young roster.
However, the East has retooled, too. Brown is now with last year’s ousters — along with LeBron James — and New York is defending the title. Can Boston eclipse the 56 wins they posted last year and more importantly, go deeper in the playoffs? Where we are in April, May, and June might determine just how hot Mazzulla’s seat is.
I’m still not totally over the Eastern Conference Finals collapse from 2023, so I’d really like to see the Mazzulla Celtics overachieve in the playoffs at some point. In ’24, they did what they were supposed to do with a fair amount of matchup luck. (Which isn’t nothing, obviously, when it brings a banner. But there’s an argument any competent coach could have done it.) The other three years, they got upset and embarrassed.
Mazzulla has a strong track record in the regular season. But if you can’t get it done in the playoffs, that can actually hurt you by weakening your draft position to no avail. I think he’s got it in him to have a great coaching career, but he’s got to show the playoff performances were a fluke, ideally this year, or it will be time to try something else.
Our friends at FanDuel are bullish on Boston and still have the Celtics (+1400) with the fifth highest odds to win a championship behind the Thunder (+230), Spurs (+280), Knicks (+1000), and Sixers (+1000).
Inglewood, CA - March 09: LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Intuit Dome on Monday, March 9, 2026 in Inglewood, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
So… the Clippers, huh.
BREAKING: The NBA has ruled on the Los Angeles Clippers in for salary cap circumvention investigations on Kawhi Leonard after yearlong probe — stripping the franchise of 5 first-round picks, issuing a $30 million fine to owner Steve Ballmer and suspensions for Ballmer, Lawrence… pic.twitter.com/JCV5bI88BE
The year-long probe surrounding alleged salary cap manipulation ended on Wednesday and handed down one of the biggest punishments in professional sports history, suspending multiple key officials, fining the organization $30 million, and taking five first-round picks. It’s not entirely unprecedented (see: Joe Smith), but it’s pretty damn startling.
While there are many things to take away from this ruling (particularly with how Kawhi seems to have completely gotten away with this), the biggest thing might just be how unimaginably bad the Kawhi Leonard era went in LA.
To get Leonard to sign with them in 2019, the Clippers had to trade for Paul George, a trade that has gone down as one of the worst in league history due to the sheer magnitude of picks traded and how it kickstarted the Thunder’s contention window by giving them Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
In seven years, it was disappointment after disappointment, with the highlight being a trip to the 2021 Western Conference Finals that ended in a blowout defeat at home in Game 6. George left and was replaced by James Harden; Harden left, and Leonard is choosing to return to Toronto after burning this franchise to the ground behind him.
In total, with Leonard (likely) going to the Raptors at some point, this is what the Clippers gave up for his services, both to convince him to sign and convince him to stay:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Danilo Gallinari
2021 MIA 1st (#18 – Tre Mann)
2022 LAC 1st (#12 – Jalen Williams)
2023 1st Pick Swap (not conveyed)
2024 LAC 1st (#26 – Dillon Jones)
2025 MIA 1st (Lottery Protected, became Thomas Sorber)
2025 1st Pick Swap (Conveyed, Nique Clifford)
2026 LAC 1st (#12 – Aday Mara)
2029 IND 1st (voided by NBA)
2030 LAC 1st (voided by NBA)
2031 LAC 1st (voided by NBA)
2032 LAC 1st (voided by NBA)
2033 LAC 1st (voided by NBA)
Good grief.
This is, hands down, the worst trade in NBA history. It destroyed an entire franchise’s future 10-15 years for three playoff series victories in seven years. At least Billy King only messed up the Nets for five years.
It does get you thinking, though. How bad has it gotten for the Knicks? We can recall some pretty nasty trades from recent or even less recent history, but just how close do they get to the utter franchise-alteringly bad level as the Paul George trade?
Gene Shue To Detroit Fort Wayne (April 1956)
Knicks Receive: Ron Sobie Pistons Receive: Gene Shue
We’re starting old school, back when the Pistons were still based in Fort Wayne. Before researching this, I had no clue who these guys were and would be very surprised if we had anyone in our community who’s been around long enough to remember watching them play (prove me wrong if so!)
Shue, the No. 3 overall pick in 1954, was sold to the Knicks just six games into his rookie year, but was nothing more than a regular role player in his near-two years in New York, averaging 9.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 1955-56.
Very shortly after the season, the 6’2” guard was dealt on draft night to Fort Wayne for Ron Sobie, the No. 7 overall pick. Sobie didn’t do much in four years, playing 191 total games and averaging 8.5 points and 4.1 rebounds before being sold to Minneapolis in December 1959, where he’d play just one more game ever.
As for Shue? He grew into his own as the Pistons moved to Detroit, being named to his first All-Star team in 1958 before getting down-ballot MVP votes over the next several seasons. He eventually grew into a 23-PPG scorer and made First-Team All-NBA in 1960. Five All-Star teams, two top-10 MVP finishes, and two All-NBA selections in six years in Detroit.
The Knicks would actually get a chance to rectify their mistake with Shue, re-acquiring him for Darrall Imhoff before the 1962-63 season, but he started to regress in his age-31 season, and he was out of basketball by the end of 1964.
While Shue never won Detroit a championship, he would’ve been a tremendous help to a Knicks team that went through its first Dark Ages prior to the 70s revival. In the six years with Shue in Detroit, the Knicks had one losing season and won sub-30 games in three of those seasons.
Choosing $4.8 Million Over Julius Erving (1976)
This is, unequivocally, the worst decision in franchise history. All of these other moves were trades that went wrong, but in the spirit of bad decisions, we’re going to cover this as well.
When the Nets were among the teams chosen to join the NBA after the ABA merger in 1976, the Knicks demanded that they pay a fee of $4.8 million (over 10 years) for encroaching on their territorial rights, a request that was sustained by the NBA alongside their $3.2 million fee for joining the league. In total, the Nets had to come up with $8 million just to exist.
The Knicks would get their money, alongside eventually suing the Nets and forcing them to move from Long Island to New Jersey, but made an unforgivable, disgusting error in the process.
Dr. J made $350,000 during this time, but wanted a renegotiation. As such, the Nets were willing to offload his salary and offered him to the Knicks, then owned by the Graham Paige Corporation and ran by Eddie Donovan in the front office.
The Knicks said no. They chose a few million, which was a lot at the time to be fair, over a future Hall of Famer.
Philadelphia purchased Erving for $3 million, and the rest is history. The Knicks let a rival get the best incoming ABA talent available and watched him lead the Sixers to a championship in 1983 while spending over a decade as a top-five player in the game.
Oh yeah, not to mention that the Knicks were mostly irrelevant during his time in the league and got swept twice by the Sixers in 1978 and 1983. Imagine if the Knicks could’ve gone from Clyde and Willis Reed to Dr. J. Ugh.
Maurice Lucas to the Suns (July 1982)
Knicks Receive: Truck Robinson Suns Receive: Maurice Lucas
In the time between the Knicks’ eras of relevance in the 70s and 90s, it wasn’t anything too bad in the 80s, just inconsistency as they waited for the next big thing in Patrick Ewing to get them back into contention.
They seemed to stumble upon something huge in the summer of 1981, when the New Jersey Nets sent them a 28-year-old Maurice Lucas as a form of compensation for signing Ray Williams in free agency. Think of it as a precursor to a sign-and-trade. Nonetheless, the team got a former All-Star and All-Defense power forward still in his athletic prime.
In his one year in New York, Lucas averaged 15.8 points and 11.3 rebounds while shooting 50.3% from the field. It was his best overall season since he was in Portland, but the Knicks never saw him a long-term option, shipping him to Phoenix for Truck Robinson one year later.
The deal made sense at the time, as Robinson was even more productive than Lucas the season prior, but he hit hard regression in his age-31 season in 1982-83 and only lasted two seasons in New York, flaming out by age 33. He would hear it from the fans, being nicknamed “Dump Truck” for his startling fall-off.
Meanwhile, Lucas made his fifth All-Star team in his first year in Phoenix as part of a second prime that slowly dissipated a few years later. While Lucas would only have 2-3 years of All-Star level talent post-trade, it was a helluva lot better than Robinson.
They could’ve used that force at PF, you know. Bernard King and Bill Cartwright carried the Knicks to consecutive playoff appearances in 1983 and 1984, with the latter team being a game away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Just imagine how it would go if Lucas were there instead of Robinson.
Then again, if not for the dismantling of that team following the 1983-84 season, Ewing might not have ever been a Knick. Food for thought.
Rod Strickland To San Antonio (February 1990)
Knicks Receive: Maurice Cheeks Spurs Receive: Rod Strickland
The Knicks had their reasons for making this trade, it just aged badly.
Strickland was a solid backup point guard in his first year and a half in the league, but was blocked by Mark Jackson. The Knicks, who had risen to become a perennial playoff team in the late 80s, were thinking about getting to the next level, so they traded a young guard who was blocked for a 33-year-old veteran who could fit the role better as one of the league’s best defensive guards.
Cheeks, an NBA champion in Philly in 1983 and again as an assistant on this year’s staff, played a total of 107 games as a Knick, averaging eight points and five assists while adequately raising his game in the postseason. He was shipped out prior to 1991-92 for a pick that became Charlie Ward before retiring a year later. The player they got was fine, but they definitely could’ve used Strickland.
Jackson had a ceiling as a Knick, one that he reached quite early and led to his departure after 1991-92. Strickland, meanwhile, would become a great starting guard in San Antonio and Portland, eventually averaging 19 points and nine assists in his prime during the mid-to-late 90s.
I wonder if an offensively challenged Knicks team, one that relied on gritty defense without a true point guard and having to rely on John Starks (more of a 2-guard) to provide playmaking. Imagine if Strickland was the point guard instead of Doc Rivers in 1994.
The Eddy Curry Fiasco (October 2005)
Knicks Receive: Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis Bulls Receive: Jermaine Jackson, Mike Sweetney, Tim Thomas, 2006 NYK 1st, 2007 Pick Swap, 2007 NYK 2nd, 2009 NYK 2nd
Isiah Thomas is damn lucky I’m only including one of his trades.
This was really bad. Eddy Curry was a fine player for the Bulls, one who was worth a decent salary and averaged 16 points and five rebounds at the end of his rookie contract. Putting aside the fact that he was seven-foot and grabbed way less rebounds than an average center, it’s a fine guy to trade for.
But that much? In a sign-and-trade? And you give him $60 million over six years to make the 23-year-old the sixth-highest-paid center in basketball? After seeing the Bulls drag their feet on an extension because of an irregular heartbeat? Seriously?
The players they gave up weren’t a big deal. Jermaine Jackson never played for the Bulls. Mike Sweetney replaced Curry as the starting center and was much worse before being out of the league by 2008. Tim Thomas played just three games as a Bull before being cut.
It’s the picks. It’s the hubris of believing the team was an Eddy Curry away from turning things around.
When Leon Rose traded a mountain of picks for Mikal Bridges, he understood that it might not result in a championship and assumed risk down the road, but also knew it wouldn’t immediately blow up due to the team having a very high floor as constructed. Worst-case scenario, the Nets get good picks in 2029 and 2031, not 2025 or 2027.
Isiah was not as wise.
The Knicks won just 33 games the year before. They added Curry, Jerome James, Nate Robinson, and rookies Channing Frye and David Lee, and hired the man who won a title with a Pistons team that was better than the sum of its parts two years prior. They made a gamble that it would all work.
It didn’t. At all. They won just 23 games despite James Dolan paying luxury tax. They had the second-worst record in basketball, and they’d get nothing for it. The Bulls got the No. 2 pick in the draft and had future All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge fall into their lap. Now, they messed that up by sending him to Portland for Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa, but the point remains.
The following year, the Knicks won just 33 games after Isiah took over as head coach. The Bulls won a bunch more, exercising the swap and taking the No. 9 pick, which became future Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah.
The two top picks traded for Curry became two of the best big men of their generation. The second picks didn’t result in much, but the Bulls traded the 2007 2nd for Thabo Sefolosha and the 2009 2nd in a weird future swap with Portland, but the damage remains.
As for Curry on the Knicks, he had a great 2006-07, averaging 19.5 points and seven rebounds. After that, with four years left on his contract, he played a total of 69 more games as a Knick as he battled injuries, his weight, and a bad work ethic. Complete, franchise-altering disaster.
Tracy McGrady Becomes a Knick (February 2010)
Knicks Receive: Tracy McGrady, Sergio Rodriguez Rockets Receive: Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, Hilton Armstrong, Kevin Martin, 2011 Pick Swap, 2012 NYK 1st Kings Receive: Joey Dorsey, Carl Landry, Larry Hughes
This trade wasn’t catastrophic by any means, but it’s inclusion is meant to represent all the times over the years that management traded draft picks for absolutely no reason, headlined by its most baffling.
A first-round pick, a swap, the guy you picked in the lottery literally eight months ago, and Jared Jeffries… for a 31-year-old rental who’s past his prime. It embodies the incompetence of the Knicks back then.
Jordan Hill wasn’t good, but they picked him between Steph Curry and DeMar DeRozan in June 2009. It’s ridiculous to give up on this guy that quickly, and it says a lot about the front office’s drafting ability and thought process. Jeffries and Hughes were okay role players. None of these guys would come back to bite you.
But like the Curry trade, it’s the damn picks. The 2011 swap didn’t convey because, unlike Isiah, Donnie Walsh actually added good players in between to ensure no collapse, as Amar’e Stoudemire lifted the Knicks to the postseason in 2011 (disregard that Houston had a better record and the West being a gauntlet was the only reason the swap didn’t convey). The 2012 pick landed at No. 16, but the 2012 draft was hilariously shallow, so Royce White doesn’t come back to bite him.
As for McGrady and Rodriguez? Neither of them played for the Knicks past April 2010. McGrady, particularly, played abysmally in 24 starts down the stretch and had to settle for a veteran minimum with the Pistons that summer. For a team that, at the time of the trade, was well below .500, it’s completely inconceivable.
Well, I guess it was meant to open up cap space for LeBron and company that offseason, and while Amar’e was a solid consolation prize (for a minute), the franchise’s incompetence at that point made it rather foolish to think the best player in the world was dying to come there. Good thing we didn’t do this again nine years later!
Acquiring Carmelo Anthony (February 2011)
Knicks Receive: Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman, Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter, Shelden Williams, Corey Brewer Nuggets Receive: Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, 2014 NYK 1st, 2016 Pick Swap, 2012 GSW 2nd, 2013 NYK 2nd Timberwolves Receive: Eddy Curry, Anthony Randolph, 2015 DEN 2nd
Here’s a bold one, and no, I’m not saying this as someone who doesn’t like Melo. He was my favorite Knick when I first got into this team and I’ll always have a soft spot for him. The trade itself is relatively fine; the problem lies with the circumstances surrounding it.
Melo was due to be an unrestricted free agent that summer. The Knicks had plenty of space to give him the new max contract he desired from Denver. Instead of waiting until the summer to pair him with Amar’e in a move many believed was obvious, a paranoid Donnie Walsh was terrified of the crosstown Nets getting him instead, with the whole “Jay-Z as part-owner” schtick. Melo was not choosing the damn Nets, but the Knicks weren’t taking that risk.
It was a huge, 13-player trade, one that also involved dumping Curry’s contract to Minnesota. Let’s break down the guys that came with Melo, who’s story in New York is well known already:
Renaldo Balkman, who was drafted by the Knicks and traded to Denver in July 2008, played just 17 games after this trade in the next two seasons.
34-year-old Chauncey Billups actually played very well in 21 starts down the stretch as an expiring contract, which convinced the Clippers he still had it (he played just 42 games in the next two seasons).
Anthony Carter played 19 games as a Knick before signing with the Raptors that offseason. He played his last game in 2011-12.
Shelden Williams played 17 games (started six) down the stretch. The big man ended his career with New Jersey the following season, playing just 58 more games.
Corey Brewer spent six days on the roster before being waived. He won a ring in Dallas that year, and his best years were ahead of him. Whoops.
As for what they gave up? Felton would eventually return a few years later, but the other three had solid NBA careers where they made a lot of money (looking at you, Mozgov). Gallinari’s marksmanship and Chandler’s solid play as a bench wing could’ve been useful off the bench during the Knickstape era, but they were just so horrified of Jay-Z.
The real kicker is the picks, again. Not that they were too damaging, just how funny it wound up being:
2012 GSW 2nd: Landed No. 38, turned into Quincy Miller. Unrelated, Khris Middleton went one pick later. Good job, Nuggies.
2013 GSW 2nd: Landed No. 51 and was traded to Orlando in the complicated Dwight Howard trade. Became Romero Osby, who never played in the NBA. Did I mention they got these two seconds for trading away David Lee?
2014 NYK 1st: Landed No. 12 after a shockingly bad 2013-14 season, but was also sent to Orlando in Dwight trade. Became Dario Saric, who was then sent to Philly
Then there’s the 2016 pick swap. Both Denver and New York stunk in 2015-16, but the Knicks did lose one more game, landing them the No. 7 pick, which would then go to Denver. That became All-Star guard Jamal Murray.
I got good news and bad news from here.
Good news: by virtue of the swap, the Knicks landed the No. 9 pick in the draft, so the swap wasn’t that bad!
Bad news: because of the next trade, they didn’t make that selection.
The Andrea Bargnani Trade (July 2013)
Knicks Receive: Andrea Bargnani Bulls Receive: Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, 2016 Swap Worst w/DEN, 2014 OKC 2nd, 2017 NYK 2nd
Where do I even begin?
Vibes were high in the Summer of ‘13. After all, the Knicks had gotten to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. Sure, it was a disappointing exit at the hands of the Pacers, but they felt as if their core still had some mileage in it with Melo, Amar’e, Tyson Chandler, Mike Woodson, and friends.
Let’s add another chef to the mix. Enter Bargnani, a failure of a No. 1 pick who enjoyed some solid seasons as Chris Bosh’s second fiddle before becoming a 20-PPG scorer in 2010-11. The two seasons before the trade, he was limited to 65 games, while his stretch-four abilities waned and his three-point shooting regressed sharply. An elbow injury suffered the year before the trade seemed not to dissuade management.
The players they gave up were more sentimental than skilled. Camby was a remnant of the transition from Ewing to Houston/Sprewell, having rejoined the Knicks that past season for the final 24 games of his career at age-38. Richardson was effectively the same, having played one game in 2012-13 in his second stint as a Knick after a nice, four-year run in the 2000s before retiring. Discount Double Check was a fan-favorite sniper, but one that was moved on from at the right time as his minutes and production completely cratered post-trade.
Once again, it’s the picks.
The OKC 2nd landed at No. 59 and was worthless. The 2017 pick landed at No. 36, which was eventually sent to Philly and became Jordan Bolden. Good thing this wasn’t a 2018 pick, phew. The real problem was a swap
The Knicks elected to make a rare move, trading the back end of a pick swap they had already traded. Essentially, Toronto got the worst of their picks and Denver’s picks. The odds of that being in the lottery were slim, but it handed Jakob Poeltl, a solid NBA big man for the last decade, right to them at No. 9.
As for Bargnani’s Knicks career, he sucked. He was the poster child of the team’s failure to maximize the rest of Melo’s prime, as Amar’e regressed hard, Chandler was traded, and this guy made eight figures to make boneheaded decision after boneheaded decision while battling injury. He played just 71 games as a Knick, made $23 million, and was dumped out the door after 2014-15. What a waste.
Brendan Brisson’s time with the Vegas Golden Knights never quite turned into what either side hoped it might.
Vegas selected Brisson with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, betting on the Los Angeles native to eventually become an important piece of its forward group. He would go on to appear in 24 games with the Golden Knights across two seasons, scoring twice and adding six assists.
Now, several years after hearing his name called by Vegas, Brisson is moving on to another opportunity.
The 24-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs after spending the 2025-26 season between the New York Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Brisson made three appearances for New York last season, picking up one assist. The bulk of his production came in Hartford, where he finished with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 66 games.
While his NHL opportunities have been limited, Brisson has been a productive player at the AHL level. Across 244 career games with the Henderson Silver Knights and Hartford, he has recorded 145 points, including 66 goals and 79 assists.
His professional career began with high expectations after Vegas made him a first-round selection, and Brisson arrived in the organization with an impressive amateur résumé.
At the University of Michigan, he produced 63 points — 31 goals and 32 assists — in 62 games over two seasons. He helped the Wolverines win a Big Ten championship and was named to the conference’s Second All-Star Team in 2022.
Brisson also represented the United States on the international stage. He scored twice in four games at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and was part of the American team that won gold at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording two goals in seven games.
Before making the jump to college hockey, Brisson established himself as one of the USHL’s top young players with the Chicago Steel. During the 2019-20 season, he scored 24 goals and added 35 assists in 45 games, earning USHL Rookie of the Year honors along with spots on the First All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team.
For Vegas, Brisson ultimately became one of those prospects who showed flashes but never secured a permanent spot in the NHL lineup.
His next chapter will come in Toronto, where he’ll get another opportunity to prove that the potential that made him a first-round pick can still translate into consistent NHL production.
On Friday,
the Montreal Canadiens revealed the 23 players who will take part in their
rookie camp from September 11 to September 15, and the consensus online is that
it’s underwhelming. This shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone, however,
since the Canadiens’ most exciting prospects are either playing in the KHL
(Alexander Zharovsky, Gleb Pugachyov), in the NCAA (Michael Hage, Timofei
Runtso), or elsewhere in Europe (Vinzenz Rohrer). Even Hayden Paupanekis, who
missed last year’s camp because of mononucleosis, won’t be attending since he
left the Kelowna Rockets for St. Cloud’s University.
As for top
defenseman prospect Bryce Pickford, he’s still recovering from shoulder surgery
and isn’t on the list either. The offensive blueliner wasn’t on the ice for
development camp either, and he’s still recovering.
All these
absences opened the door for several undrafted players who will attend camp on
a tryout basis: seven of the 13 forwards were invited on that basis: Alexander
Donovan from the St. John Sea Dogs, Kody Dupuis from the Shawinigan Cataractes,
Braydon McCallum from the Peterborough Petes, Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel from the
Quebec Remparts, Thomas Rousseau from the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Alexey Vlaskov
from the Victoriaville Tigres and Brady Wassilyn from the London Knights. Of
the lot, Vlaskov and Rousseau had the best offensive numbers out of the players
from the QMJHL last season. The former put up 80 points in just 64 games, while
the latter had 52 points in 60 games. As for Donovan, he had 53 points in 63
games in the OHL.
Four of the
Canadiens’ picks from the 2026 draft will be attending: Wesley Royston (190th
overall), Parker Trottier (189th overall), Jean-Samuel Daigneault
(221st overall) and Brayden Klimpke (117th overall).
Even though
the roster lacks top prospects, it will still be interesting to see how they hold
their own against the Winnipeg Jets (September 12, 1:00 PM) and the Ottawa
Senators (September 13, 6:00 PM) rookies. Don’t expect too many cuts by the end
of camp, however, since the Canadiens will be playing two split-squad games
during the preseason: September 19 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and September
26 against the Ottawa Senators.
UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1903: Half-length portrait of Al Orth, pitcher, for the Washington Senators, American League, standing in front of bleacher buttresses at South Side Park which was located at West 37th Street, South Princeton Avenue, West Pershing Road (formerly West 39th Street), and South Wentworth Avenue in the Armour Square community area of Chicago, Illinois, 1903. (Photo by Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News collection/Chicago History Museum/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are several forgotten heroes from Yankees’ baseball prior to when the franchise started to win championships. Not that they didn’t have good years as a team in that time, but the pre-Babe Ruth years tend to blend together in a lot of fans’ minds.
One of those forgotten heroes was Al Orth, whose 1906 could be in the discussion for best seasons by a Yankee pitcher.
Albert Lewis “Al” Orth Born: September 5, 1872 (Sedalia, MO) Died: October 8, 1948 (Lynchburg, VA) Yankees Tenure: 1904-09
While he was born in Missouri, Al Orth lived much of his early life in Indiana. There’s not a ton out there about his early life other than that he eventually attended DePauw University in Greencastle, IN. At some point, he developed an ability for baseball and begins showing up in on minor league rosters at 22-years-old, playing for the Lynchburg Hill Climbers in 1895.
In Lynchburg, Orth very quickly began to catch the eye of major league teams. After 269 good innings in 1895, Lynchburg sold him to the Phillies later that season. He went on to debut and throw 88 more innings in Philly that year, and put up a very solid, for that year, 3.89 ERA.
Over the next several years, while he had his ups and down, Orth became a fixture on the Phillies’ roster, and a mostly solid one at that. Known as the “Curveless Wonder,” Orth got his success from just varying the speed of his pitches as opposed to getting great movement. With the exceptions of 1895-96 — when he was still breaking into the bigs — and 1899, Orth threw at least 250 innings every season in Philadelphia and also posted at least 14 wins in all except his debut 1895. However, the Phillies never really got all that close to a NL pennant in his time there.
Orth had his best year as a Phillie in 1901. That year, he went 20-12 with a 2.27 ERA (151 ERA+), and recorded a league high six complete game shutouts. However, something else also happened in 1901: the American League was founded. Many NL mainstays started making the jump over, and Orth did so too, joining the Washington Senators for a reported $3500.
Despite moving to the still developing league from the “Senior Circuit,” Orth struggled in Washington. In 84 appearances over three seasons with the Senators, ho posted a 4.21 ERA, which equated to a 79 ERA+, as baseball began to enter the “deadball era.” He dropped off even further in 1904, leading to a July trade that sent him to the New York Highlanders.
The move to the Highlanders led to a rejuvenation for Orth. He was much better over the rest of 1904 — helping New York nearly swipe the AL pennant — and was again solid in 1905. Then in 1906, he put together his best career season. In New York, Orth joined a pitching staff that featured “spitballer” Jack Chesbro. With help from Chesbro, Orth began to throw the spitball himself, leading to a standout 1906. In a league-leading 338.2 innings, Orth put up a 2.34 ERA (127 ERA+), with 27 wins. According to modern stats, Orth was worth 8.1 rWAR and 6.0 fWAR, putting him among the league’s best that season.
Orth was okay the next year, but the Highlanders fell way back in the standings, and Orth ended up leading the league in losses. It was the first time ever a pitcher went from having the most wins to the most losses in consecutive years. After an even worse year in 1908, Orth seemingly left the majors, moved to Virginia and was set to be a player-manager in the Virginia League.
However, new Highlanders’ manager George Stallings lured Orth back for 1909. He only threw three innings on the mound and instead filled a new role. Orth had always been a pretty solid hitter, and not even for just pitcher standards, with a career 92 OPS+. Stallings used Orth as a pinch-hitter and in a handful of games at second base, and he put up a 113 OPS+ for the year.
Following that season, Orth did leave the majors and played for a couple minor league teams, including back in his new home in Lynchburg. He then returned to the majors in 1912, albeit as an umpire. He was the home plate ump for a 1912 game where pitchers Hippo Vaughn and Fred Toney both had no-hitters through nine innings. Toney completed his in 10 innings, after his Reds’ teammates scored a run on two hits in the top of the 10th.
Orth was a NL ump through 1917, at which point he left that role. Back in Virginia, he had stints as the baseball coaches at Washington & Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. He resided in the area until his death in 1948 at age 76.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 19: Caden Powell #38 of the Houston Astros hits a game-winning fielder's choice in the ninth inning during the game between the Miami Marlins and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (69-66) lost 8-5 (BOX SCORE)
McPherson started for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 8 runs over 3.2 innings. The offense got a run in the 2nd inning on a Price RBI single and a run in the 3rd on Ferreras solo home run. They got another in the 4th on a Cole RBI single and one in the 5th on a Delgado groundout. The bullpen was solid with scoreless outings and Price connected on a solo home run in the 9th but that was it as Sugar Land fell 8-5.
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (59-71) lost 4-1 (BOX SCORE)
Torres got the start for the Hooks and allowed 3 runs over 2 innings. The offense got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd inning scoring a run on an error. The pen was solid allowing just one run over the next seven innings but the offense was unable to score again as the Hooks fell 4-1.
A+: Asheville Tourists (43-86) won 10-6 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville got on the board in the first inning on a Powell 3 run home run. They got another run in the third on a Moss groundout. Oakes got the start and went 5 innings allowing 3 runs while striking out 5. In the 5th, Powell connected on another home run, this time a 2 run shot. After a Neyens RBI double in the 6th, the offense got 3 more runs in the 7th on Garcia 3 run home run. The pen allows a few runs but held on for the 10-6 win.
Max Martin, RHP: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (71-57) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Beck started for the Woodpeckers and tossed a scoreless first inning but he was pulled after the first. He was released by Carrera who pitched well allowing 1 run over 6 innings of work. The Woodpeckers got on the board in the 5th inning on a Sierra RBI double. Rosario tossed 2 scoreless innings as the game went to extra innings. In the 10th, the Woodpeckers picked up a run on a Nowak bases loaded walk. The Crawdads tied it up in the 10th. The game went to 12 innings and in the bottom of the 12th, Hickory walked it off on an error.
The Los Angeles Dodgers come into tonight’s game as big 68% moneyline favorites against the Washington Nationals in what should be a pitcher’s duel between Tyler Glasnow and Cade Cavalli.
I’ll break down why I’m picking the hosts to win a low-scoring game in my Nationals vs. Dodgers predictions and free MLB picks for Saturday, Sept. 5.
Who will win Nationals vs Dodgers today: Dodgers moneyline (68%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Glasnow ranks in the 97th percentile in both xERA (2.44) and xBA (.183), as well as the 83rd percentile in overall pitching run value.
The Washington Nationals have been the second-best offensive team in baseball this season (5.16 runs per game). However, they’ve averaged just 3.80 runs per game since Aug. 14, scoring two or fewer in 10 of their last 20.
I don’t love the Dodgers' tax here, but we’re pigeonholed with L.A. only covering the run line in 13 of its last 50 contests.
Back the Dodgers to 69%.
COVERS INTEL: Since Aug. 14, the Nationals rank 28th in wOBA (.290), a big drop-off compared to their full-season number (.328, third).
Nationals vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (57%)
Cade Cavalli has been impressive for the Nationals, especially down the stretch, sporting a 1.75 ERA over his last six starts while allowing two earned runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 appearances.
The Dodgers obviously have an elite offense, but they’ll miss Ohtani, who leads all L.A. starting players in SLG and OPS vs. right-handed pitching.
Washington has cashed the Under in 29 of its last 50 games, while Los Angeles has hit the Under in eight of its last 11.
Play to 58%.
Nationals vs Dodgers home run prediction: Freddie Freeman (17%)
Freddie Freeman isn’t the 30+ home run hitter he once was, but he’s still got a respectable 16 dingers this season. He broke a near two-month home run drought on Wednesday, and I like his chances to go yard again tonight.
Freeman has been particularly dangerous against the four-seamer from righties, batting a ridiculous .355 with a .554 SLG. Six of his homers have come against that pitch type, and it’s also Cavalli’s most common offering (32.9%).
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 8-9, -1.94 units
Over/Under bets: 8-9, -1.40 units
Nationals vs Dodgers weather
Weather shouldn’t be a major factor tonight at Dodger Stadium, where they’re expecting temperatures in the 70s and very light winds blowing out to right field.
Nationals vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Nationals 33% | Dodgers 68%
Run line: Nationals +1.5 | Dodgers -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Nationals vs Dodgers trend
The Nationals have hit the team total Under in 10 of their last 14 away games (+5.45 Units / 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Nationals vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Nationals vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
First pitch
9:10 p.m. ET
TV
Nationals.TV, SNLA
Nationals starting pitcher
Cade Cavalli (12-5, 3.12 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 2.79 ERA)
Nationals vs Dodgers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Erling Haaland scored his 300th club goal while Crystal Palace’s left wing-backs grabbed the glory at Craven Cottage
Iliman Ndiaye starts for City after joining from Everton in the week. Phil Foden drops out and will be joined on the bench by City’s other big signing, Enzo Fernandez.
Coventry bring in Ethan Pinnock and Frank Onyeka for Caleb Yirenki and Loum Tchaouna.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 07: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park on August 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Throughout his first full season in the big leagues, we have learned that Cade Cavalli loves a challenge. Whenever he squares off with the marquee teams in the league, Cavalli tends to have his best stuff. He will have an opportunity to do that again tonight against the Dodgers.
Cavalli will be facing off with Tyler Glasnow tonight in what should be a very exciting matchup. It feels like Cavalli is starting to get those big matchups on a regular basis now that he is emerging as the Nats ace. The last time he was on the mound, he was opposed by Sandy Alcantara. Now, he will see another one of the NL’s premier arms.
He is in these ace matchups for a reason. That is exactly what Cavalli has been over the past couple months. In his last 13 starts, Cavalli has a 2.15 ERA with elite underlying numbers. He had a streak of 10 straight quality starts that was only ended due to taking a comebacker off his leg last time out.
Cavalli’s season numbers as a whole are very impressive too. In 152.2 innings, he has a 3.12 ERA and 177 strikeouts. A 170 inning, 200 strikeout season is within reach for Cavalli. A couple years ago, that seemed like a long shot. His Tommy John recovery was bumpy to say the least. He was off the mound for most of two seasons. Even at the beginning of last year, the results were not there in AAA.
However, he got things going again at the end of last year. With the addition of a power sweeper and improved command, he has taken another leap this season. Cavalli is now one of the pillars of the organization. His competitive fire is one of his trademark traits as well.
When the lights are brightest, that is when we see the best of Cavalli. The Cubs have been the best offense in the league this season, but they were no match for Cavalli. That start against the Cubs was the best one of his career. He flirted with a no-hitter and had everything working against an elite offense.
Cade Cavalli Carried a No Hitter Into the 7th as Washington Avoided the Sweep 🔥
For these big games, it feels like Cavalli always has a little something extra. The fastball velocity is up a tick, the breaking balls are sharper and his intensity is higher. Cavalli is always intense on the mound, but he takes things to another level in these games.
That Red Sox start is a perfect example of this. He may have gone too far in that start, but he did dominate a red hot offense. Cavalli got an insane 25 whiffs in that start. His fastball was up to 100 and his breakers were out of this world. That is the sort of stuff you see from Cade in a big game.
I can’t wait to see what Cavalli looks like when we are finally a playoff team someday. It would be an environment he would thrive in. The closest thing the Nats have to the playoffs are these matchups with elite teams. Those are the games where Cavalli is at his best.
This Dodgers lineup is a tough nut to crack. However, I have confidence that Cavalli will go out there and pitch well. It may be a late game, but I am really excited to see Cade matchup with the best team in the league. Expect to see a lot of 98’s and 99’s on the gun.
We know that Cavalli will be amped up for this matchup. The only question is whether he will get enough run support. This offense has looked lackluster lately. However, they usually come to play for Cade. There should be fireworks and a lot of strikeouts in LA tonight because big game Cade is suiting up.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell is greeted in the dugout during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026.
Six innings, no runs.
By most standards, that would be a start worth celebrating.
Blake Snell called it a “good starting point.”
“I think I can be way better,” Snell said.
The more Snell talked about his start in the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over the Nationals, the more dissatisfied he sounded. He wasn’t where he wanted to be.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell is greeted in the dugout during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He isn’t alone.
The starters who will comprise the Dodgers’ postseason rotation know that when the playoffs start, they will have to pitch better than they have. Their team’s inconsistent offense will once again give them little margin for error, perhaps even less than last year with Shohei Ohtani dealing with multiple injuries.
If October marks the start of the baseball season in Los Angeles, September is spring training. The pitchers have three weeks to prepare for the starts that will define their seasons, or perhaps even careers. Up next will be Tyler Glasnow, who pitches Saturday in only his third start since returning from a 3 ½-month absence that was forced on him by back spasms.
The night before Snell beat the Nationals, Tarik Skubal was flabbergasted by his stat line in his start against the Cardinals: 5 ⅓ innings, two runs, 10 hits, all of them singles.
“I mean, 10 singles,” said Skubal, taking solace in how he didn’t give up any extra-base hits.
Skubal said he threw the ball well, pointing to how pitches that missed by a couple of inches to either side radically transformed certain at-bats.
“In my eyes,” Skubal said, “that’s executing a pitch.”
Which isn’t to say Skubal viewed himself entirely as a victim of dumb luck.
“I’ve gotta continue to make pitches and continue to suppress contact and try and get misses when I can,” he said.
The start was the sixth for Skubal since his trade from the Tigers. He has pitched more than six innings only once for the Dodgers, with whom he is 1-2 with a 3.03 ERA.
“I know we haven’t seen the best of him yet,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, September 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The Dodgers saw the best of Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Wednesday — for five innings.
Facing the Cardinals, Yamamoto had a no-hitter through five innings that was broken up in the sixth on a leadoff single by José Fermín. Two batters later, Yamamoto gave up a home run to Thomas Saggese.
In the next inning, Yamamoto gave up a leadoff double to Jordan Walker, which was followed by a home run by Leo Bernal.
“When I went into the stretch, my control was really bad,” Yamamoto said in Japanese.
He departed the game with a 5-4 lead, which the bullpen failed to protect. The Dodgers lost the game in extra innings.
Yamamoto was frustrated, as he thought it was inexcusable to lose a game in which the Dodgers’ slumping offense scored five runs.
“They scored for me, and it was a game we could have won if I’d held the other team,” Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto has made 25 starts, and his numbers are better than they were last year at the same stage, as he has a 2.67 ERA in 165 innings. Through his first 25 starts last year, he had a 2.90 ERA in 139 ⅔ innings.
Yamamoto’s personal trainer, Osamu Yada, said Yamamoto should start hitting his stride in the second half of the month, which should position him to perform as well, if not better, in the playoffs than he did last year when he was the Most Valuable Player of the World Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto plays during the second inning of a regular-season MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. ZUMAPRESS.com
As for Snell, he said he had to be more efficient.
His six-inning effort was an inning longer than his previous start, but he continued to call on himself to pitch deeper into the game.
“Going six is cool, and it’s a good starting point,” Snell said. “I really want to go seven, eight. I want to get to nine.”
Snell, who pitched for only the fifth time since he returned from an early-season elbow operation, threw 100 pitches.
“I just can’t be walking guys that I know I can get out. Just gotta get ahead, quit trying to be so perfect and just attack it.”
That’s what Snell did when he pitched seven shutout innings against the Reds in Game 1 of the wild-card series last year. That’s what he did when he blanked the Brewers over eight innings in the opening game of the National League Championship Series.
Snell knows where he wants to be when the playoffs open. He has three more regular-season starts to get there.
South Africa produce epic second-half performance in comeback win to take a 2-1 series lead over the All Blacks
Anthems done.
A great rendition of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. But does every second person in the stands need to film themselves singing it? Am I just old? A hater? Just live in the moment guys!
PHILADELPHIA — Atlanta’s Chris Sale outdueled Cristopher Sánchez in a matchup of two of baseball’s best pitchers, and the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 on Friday night to extend their lead in the NL East to five games.
Ronald Acuña had three hits and drove in a run and Mauricio Dubón homered for the Braves, who won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Alec Bohm homered and doubled and drove in both runs for the Phillies, who lost for just the fourth time in 19 games.
Sale (14-9) allowed two runs in six innings with seven strikeouts and a walk. He entered second in the NL in ERA, which rose slightly to 2.10.
Sánchez (16-5) remained stuck on 16 victories after surrendering three runs in six innings. He allowed five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
Atlanta scored three of its runs off Sánchez in the second inning on Austin Riley’s RBI single, Ha-Seong Kim’s groundout, and Acuña’s RBI double.
The Phillies got a run back in the bottom of the inning on Bohm’s RBI double and pulled within 3-2 in the fourth on his one-out solo drive to left.
Philadelphia had runners in scoring position with less than two outs in the fifth and sixth innings, but could not score off Sale.
After Dubón hit a two-run shot in the eighth off Orion Kerkering, Raisel Iglesias pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 30th save.
The teams were meeting for the first time since April 26, when struggling Philadelphia dropped to 9-19 and fired manager Rob Thomson. Since, the two-time defending NL East champion Phillies have gone 70-43 under interim manager Don Mattingly.
Friday’s matchup was the opener of a four-game series and the first of seven games in the next 10 between the clubs.
Bryce Harper went 0 for 4 and had his career-best 35-game on-base streak halted.
Philadelphia second baseman Bryson Stott was a late scratch from the lineup due to personal reasons.
Up next
Braves LHP Martín Pérez (8-8, 3.05) opposes Philadelphia RHP Zack Wheeler (11-5, 3.31) on Saturday night.
HOUSTON — Yordan Alvarez is one of baseball’s biggest stars: the frontrunner for AL MVP with a strong chance of becoming baseball’s first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012.
Comfortable as the Cuban-born slugger looks driving in runs for the Houston Astros, his real happy place isn’t the batter’s box.
It’s the driver’s seat of his family’s RV.
“People don’t recognize me, that’s the good thing,” he told The Associated Press. “I think that’s why I love the lifestyle because I can do whatever I want and no one bothers me.”
After long seasons of jam-packed stadiums, chartered flights and upscale hotels, Alvarez looks forward to a decidedly less glamorous offseason, stopping at remote campgrounds where he likes to hunt and fish. Not that he’s roughing it, exactly — the Grand Design RV model he drives starts at around $230,000 and features a full kitchen, bedroom and nicely appointed bathroom. But surely, his fellow campers might be surprised to learn the guy parked next door is a four-time All-Star and the 2021 AL Championship Series MVP.
Driving the RV was “scary” at first, but Alvarez said after the first week “it was like a normal car.” He’s since downsized to a smaller one that is easier to drive but that still affords him the freedom that’s hard to find in his everyday life. The family adventured around Florida last year, and he even lived out of the RV during the Astros spring training this year in West Palm Beach. He parked at a friend’s house right on the water where he could fish after workouts and bragged about a big snapper, he caught that he prepared and ate.
“I don’t see myself like a big star,” he said. “I just try to be normal, like a normal person and try to do fun things and whatever I want with my family.”
Alvarez’s manager thinks his poise comes from his perspective
Alvarez is as feared by pitchers as any hitter in baseball, and not just for his imposing 6-foot-4 frame. He’s famously cool-headed, even in the most tense situations, a reputation earned through repeated October excellence.
Baseball is certainly important to Alvarez, but family is everything to the 29-year-old husband and father of two. It’s a mindset that Houston manager Joe Espada believes is a big reason why Alvarez can easily navigate the ups and downs of arduous MLB seasons.
“He’s able to do what he’s doing and be able to stay calm because he’s got other things ahead of baseball,” Espada said. “He really cares about his family, kids, his parents, like baseball on his list is in the bottom and that allows him to keep things in perspective and allows him to go out there and just relax and play and have fun.”
Alvarez is having plenty of fun this season as he’s led the Astros to first place in the AL West. He tops the AL in batting average (.316) and RBIs (94) and his 37 home runs are tied for first with Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero.
He isn’t just leading in the Triple Crown categories. Alvarez is also first in the AL in nine other offensive categories including slugging percentage (.603), OPS (1.035), total bases (296) and walks (96). He also leads the majors with 29 intentional walks this season, already a franchise record.
His success comes a year after he was limited to just 48 games because of a broken hand and an ankle injury. Watching most of last season from the dugout was upsetting for Alvarez and he made a vow to himself in the offseason.
“I put in my mind that I have to change this,” he said. “I have to try to stay on the field every single day.”
When Alvarez speaks, the Astros listen
Alvarez is quiet and doesn’t show much emotion on the field. But those who know him well say that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the most important leaders on the team.
“He has a lot of powerful things to say,” Hall of Famer and Astros senior advisor Jeff Bagwell said. “I think he’s grown in the clubhouse. He’s just a special human being that I think we all need to just appreciate.”
Bagwell is the only other Astro to have come anywhere close to winning a Triple Crown. He was named NL MVP in the strike-shortened 1994 season when he ranked first in RBIs and second in batting average and home runs.
He’s developed a close relationship with Alvarez in his eight seasons with the Astros and is excited about the possibility of him becoming a Triple Crown winner.
“There’s not been many people that have been able to do that, so it transcends the Astros, but for him to do it in this uniform, I couldn’t be more proud,” Bagwell said. “I love him as a player. I love him as a person. I couldn’t be more happy that he wears our uniform and is doing what he’s doing.”
Espada said Alvarez holds an important role in the clubhouse. That includes elevating concerns not only about himself but also his teammates so they can work together to improve the team.
“He’s very vocal in a respectful way,” Espada said. “He’s very observant, and he opens his mouth when he’s got something really good that is going to change something. He’s not just going to talk to talk. There’s a purpose behind every word he says.”
Alvarez knows what’s on the line with the Triple Crown, even if he doesn’t want to talk about it
One thing Alvarez absolutely does not want to discuss is his pursuit of history, nixing almost all questions about the Triple Crown.
“I know the possibility is there,” he said. “But I try to do my job, not focus on that. I just want to focus on my game.”
If he wins MVP, he’ll join Shohei Ohtani as the only players to have taken home the award while primarily serving as designated hitter.
“That tells you how good he is,” Bagwell said.
Growing up in Cuba, Alvarez couldn’t watch MLB games on television. Once he arrived in the United States in 2015, he started watching religiously, hoping he’d reach the majors one day. But even then, he never thought about winning an MVP or chasing a Triple Crown.
“I’m going to be honest, no, I never visualized all these things that are happening right now in my life,” he said. “I never visualized this.”
As the last month of the season gets underway with Alvarez slugging his way toward history, he tries not to reflect on what he’s already done but instead looks forward to helping the Astros make a playoff run after missing out last season.
But there’s one special person for whom he makes an exception when it comes to looking back. His 5-year-old son Jordan is beginning to understand that dad is a big deal and the two have a fun postgame ritual.
“After every single game, we go back home and the first thing he does is he puts on YouTube and searches Yordan Alvarez home run,” Alvarez said of the little boy who is his biggest fan. “So, he starts watching all of my home runs every single day. It makes him happy and that makes me happy.”
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani got a second straight day off Friday while the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar deals with assorted injuries.
Ohtani smiled and laughed in the dugout while watching Thursday’s game, going on the field with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates to celebrate a walk-off 3-2 win over St. Louis that avoided a series sweep.
“He was pretty jovial yesterday, which was a good sign, more kind of upbeat than I’ve seen him in months,” manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers opened a three-game set against Washington.
Ohtani’s symptoms involving his right biceps, neck and left knee haven’t improved in recent weeks, although Roberts remains noncommittal about the possibility of a stint on the injured list.
“Hopeful,” the manager said, “but I wouldn’t say confident.”
The injuries were initially delaying Ohtani’s return to pitching, but they’re now affecting his hitting. He’s batting .279 with 30 home runs and 80 RBIs.
Roberts said Ohtani’s hasn’t admitted that his performance has been impacted by his injuries.
“What we saw a couple nights ago wasn’t him, so clearly he was not feeling well,” Roberts said.
Ohtani has been “very agreeable” about the team’s cautious approach with him.
“He wants to be out there, wants to play,” Roberts said, “but he’s understanding that whatever decision we make is the best interest for him and the team.”
Ohtani hasn’t spoken to the media in nearly three weeks.
Center fielder Tommy Edman was in Ohtani’s leadoff spot again against Washington, while Alex Call remained the designated hitter, batting seventh. Edman went 4 for 5 with two runs scored on Thursday.
Brady Tkachuk Tribute Will Feel Like Watching The Wedding Video After The DivorceThe Senators will play a tribute video for their former captain in what promises to be a complicated homecoming.
COVERS INTEL: Since Aug. 14, the Nationals rank 28th in 
