A former Buffalo Sabres forward has finally found his home right before the start of the 2026-27 regular-season.
Former Buffalo Sabres forward Tyson Jost has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Nashville Predators for the 2026-27 season.
The Predators announced the news on Monday afternoon.
Jost attended Nashville's training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) with the hope of landing a contract for the season from the Central Division club. Now, the former Sabres forward has successfully done just that.
Jost appeared in 69 games last season for the Predators, where he recorded eight goals, eight assists, 16 points, and a minus-21 rating.
Jost spent two seasons with the Sabres from 2022-23 to 2023-24. In 102 games with the Sabres over that span, the 28-year-old forward recorded 10 goals, 18 assists, and 28 points.
Jost's time with the Sabres ended during the 2024 NHL off-season when he signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency.
For the Dodgers, that’s all that stands between them and baseball immortality.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, second from left, and Teoscar Hernández, second from right, celebrate with teammates in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Now, even more rarefied air awaits, as they try to become the first-ever National League team, and only the third MLB franchise overall, to win three consecutive championships.
Eleven more wins, and more history will be made.
The Dodgers won’t know their exact road to a three-peat for a few more days, as they await the winner of this week’s Braves-Phillies best-of-three wild card series in the NLDS, which will begin next Saturday.
In the meantime, though, the California Post analyzed each of their potential opponents in each round of the upcoming playoffs –– picking the best (and worst) matchups they might face on their quest to more October glory.
National League Division Series
Best matchup: Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies gather for a team photo after clinching a wild card spot in the postseason. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There were times this summer that the Phillies seemed like the biggest potential threat in the NL. However, they moonwalked into the postseason, having to win their final game of the season on Sunday to avoid what would have been an historic September collapse. And now, they are in scramble mode entering this week’s wild-card series in Atlanta.
The Phillies will turn to the recently injured Jesús Luzardo to open Game 1. In Game 2, they will hand the ball to staff ace Cristopher Sánchez –– which will likely limit him to just one outing in the NLDS if they advance. It’s also possible that co-ace Zack Wheeler, who pitched in Sunday’s playoff clincher, will be needed out of the bullpen in the wild-card series, which could hamper his availability for the NLDS.
They do, of course, have big names at the top of their lineup in Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner. But that trio went just 10-for-48 against the Dodgers in last year’s NLDS. And beyond them, the Phillies’ lineup thins out quickly, especially with trade deadline acquisition Luis Arraez battling an ankle injury sustained during the final week of the regular season.
Worst matchup: Braves
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale delivers to a Cincinnati Reds. AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser
Regular-season records don’t mean much once the slate gets wiped clean in the playoffs. Still, the two times the Dodgers met this Braves this year, Atlanta got the better of them –– going 5-1 overall, including in a three-game sweep at Truist Park last month.
The Braves also boast a better bullpen than the Phillies (who ranked last in reliever ERA during September) and a more balanced lineup (albeit, one that cooled off in the second half of the season by ranking just 13th in scoring and 16th in OPS after the start of July).
National League Championship Series
Best matchup: Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski tips his cap to fans after pitching in his last regular season game against the St. Louis Cardinals. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
No disrespect to the Brewers, who were the winningest team in the majors for a second-straight season with a franchise-best 103-59 record. But remember what happened last October, when they scored just four runs in four games while getting swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS.
However, the Brewers have just one other starter (rookie Logan Henderson) with a sub-3.80 ERA. Their talented bullpen will be less of an advantage in a longer seven-game series. And, most importantly, there are still plenty of questions about how their small-ball offense (which had the second-fewest home runs in the majors this season) will translate against October pitching.
That was their undoing against the Dodgers last year. And it would represent a favorable matchup for the two-time defending champions once again this fall.
Worst matchup: Padres
Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres celebrates with Fernando Tatis Jr. after hitting a three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Getty Images
The Padres’ offense isn’t quite as potent as the Cubs’ (the third potential opponent the Dodgers could draw in the NLCS) but has nonetheless been revived by late-season turnarounds from Jackson Merril, Xander Bogaerts and Fernando Tatis Jr. most of all (his .978 OPS in August and September was sixth-best in the majors).
San Diego’s rotation is also a question mark, but can be compensated for by an uber-deep bullpen led by superstar closer Mason Miller.
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada, right, presents Yordan Alvarez with a championship belt after defeating the Athletics 9-0 to win the American League West. Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP
The Astros are not only the worst MLB playoff team ever, squeaking in as champions of a dismal AL West division with an 81-81 record (the first team in league history to qualify for the playoffs without an above-.500 mark).
But, they would also present the most narratively enticing potential World Series opponent for the Dodgers –– who, almost a decade later, still bear the scars of their 2017 Fall Classic defeat to Houston’s infamous sign-stealing, trash-can-banging title squad.
The Astros’ pitching staff has been a mess all season. Their aging veteran offense has been extremely dependent upon AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez.
And while they do have plenty of October experience, nothing would be a better capstone to this Dodgers dynasty than getting revenge on the team that –– as they see it –– cheated them out of their first opportunity to win a championship.
Worst matchup: Yankees*
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge is on the dugout fence during the seventh inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
In a relatively weak American League, the Yankees still boast the most talented roster.
The superstar slugger is questionable for this week’s best-of-three wild card round against the Red Sox. He has hardly played since the first couple months of the season because of a stress fracture in his ribs and a calf injury he sustained in a short-lived return to action earlier this month.
If Judge is healthy, however, no AL contender has as many weapons as the Yankees.
Their rotation is stacked, with veterans Gerrit Cole and Max Fried lined up behind presumptive Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler. Their offense is dangerous, ranking second in the majors in home runs (41 of which came from breakout star Ben Rice). And a potential World Series meeting with the Dodgers would provide them with their own shot at redemption, looking to avenge the Dodgers’ dramatic triumph in the 2024 Fall Classic.
Devin Booker kicked off his 12th season for the Phoenix Suns with a new number, but just as cool and as confident as ever.
As Booker approaches his 30th birthday in October, he has accomplished a lot in his career, but there is still a lot left in the tank.
“I love the game more than ever,” said Booker during his media day press conference. “Honestly, my body feels better than it’s ever felt going into a training camp. So, I think, you know, as you get older you know, you learn new ways to train, new ways to take care of your body… I’ve been a sponge to, you know, a lot of guys that have had success and played a lot of years in their career.”
Last year, Booker played in just 64 games and averaged 33.5 minutes per contest, both his lowest marks since his rookie season. No matter what version of him we get this season, the Suns need him healthy and confident to be the best team they can be this year. His level of play and status have fallen in the NBA player hierarchy, but the Suns cannot function without him in the lineup.
Because the Suns brought back almost the entire roster from last season, Booker expects more success and growth from the team this season.
“I’m excited about it. In the past, you know, I’ve been more successful; the team has been more successful when you know, we know what to expect going into the year,” said Booker.
“We’re coming in all with the same mindset to win. So time will tell, but you know, it’s definitely gonna be nice seeing some familiar faces back, with the same coach. We’re all on the same page. This summer was a big summer for us to keep all the same guys in the same building.”
For Booker, Jordan Ott is only the second head coach he has played consecutive seasons for in his career, with the other being Monty Williams. That alone, plus bringing back most of the roster, puts the Suns and Booker in a better position to begin the season strong.
“We got together a few times, you know, as a full team,” Booker said. “You know, I know Dillon [Brooks] had about half the guys in Toronto too. We all met in Vegas. We all were in Flagstaff, and you know, this past month we’ve been running a lot of open gyms, probably three times a week in the facility… There isn’t an off season anymore. You know, we’ve been building; we’ve been getting that chemistry together.”
For Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, building chemistry together is vital to the Suns’ success this season, with the trio only playing in 10 regular season games last season. Throw Miles Bridges and Khaman Maluach into the mix, and there is still a lot of untapped continuity for this team to figure out.
As for Maluach and Booker’s chemistry, the two have been working together this offseason to figure it out.
“You know, we would end up being in the gym at the same time late night, and then one time he just texted me and was like, you know, can we get some work in together?” said Booker. “So, you know, I think that guard and big relationship is super important, and you know, he’s way ahead of the curve.”
With all the Suns’ offseason work and hours together, they need to start fast and start healthy.
“To start the season, we’re gonna be definitely ahead of where we were to start the season last year,” said Booker.
“We have to remain healthy, and you know, we’re gonna get that chance to, you know, like I said, start this season off more on the same page than we were last year.”
Booker and the Suns have the chance to hit the ground running this year because of their depth and continuity, and the Suns franchise player has been leading the way all offseason.
SAN FRANCISCO ― Draymond Green is excited for the 2026-27 season for plenty of reasons.
Green signed a one-year, $27.7 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors; he's back paired with his right-hand Steph Curry and he's the vet who will teach rookie Yaxel Lendeborg the ropes. They immediately developed a friendly banter, having gone to rival schools: Lendeborg to Michigan, and Green to Michigan State. College rivalry aside, Green likes what he sees from their rookie.
"Needless to say, he's going to be -- obviously we know what Steph does, myself, but he's going to be important," Green said about Lendeborg. "I think from what I've seen already, I think my role for him will be to make sure he's always aggressive. You know, he's one of those guys that has the skill set to do certain things, but the way you see the game could affect that negatively. Meaning I can just go get a bucket, but I'm watching this play out, so let me try to make this play. It's, like, no, the right play is actually for you to probably go get the bucket."
Green made a point to himself to stay on top of Lendeborg's development in the league. Mainly, staying aggressive.
"At all times you should be downhill trying to get to the rim. Like, there will be a time in his career where, you know, you may become, like, the playmaker, but I don't know if everybody is going to need him making plays for them his rookie year," Green said. "You need to have the play made for you, and not necessarily made for you because he can make the play himself, but let guys be making the play for you and you're going to score."
Draymond Green on new challenges
With the amount of injuries that the Warriors have suffered, it will be on everyone to step up, including more from Green. Head coach Steve Kerr expressed a change in their offense, going to a more modern style with five-out on the perimeter.
There will be more offensive expectations from Green, especially with injuries to guys like Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody to start the season.
“[Yaxel] is REALLY good, I was very impressed. I actually hate to say it because that means he was really good last year at Michigan.” 😅🤝
Draymond Green says he’s impressed by Yaxel Lendeborg’s game and believes he will be an important piece this season. pic.twitter.com/9tiohDmKcI
"It was like the longest, shortest summer ever — but it was well worth it."
That's how Jalen Brunson described the Knicks offseason, which started when they won the franchise's first title in 53 years, had a parade in Manhattan, and the party seemed to continue all summer long. That party will roll again on Oct. 20 when the Knicks raise that championship banner and Jalen Brunson and his teammates get their championship rings, in an opening-night ceremony you can watch on NBC (or stream on Peacock), before the Knicks face the 76ers.
However, the question all too quickly becomes, "What's next? How do they do it again?"
"I think for us now, the way we approached last year, is taking one day at a time, every single day," Brunson said at Knicks Media Day, one of several comments he made about sticking to the process. "So not talking about certain things. Obviously, we know what it takes, but just going into this with the same mindset for this journey. It's a new journey, it's a different journey, the approach has to be the same, if not better."
"I've made it known that I want to play here. I've been a fan since a kid. I would like to get one done. I'd like to get it done and step on the floor and feel as comfortable as possible."
Would he be more comfortable getting the deal done before the season starts, or is he comfortable with talks going on during the season?
"I think in this situation there's no comfortability to be had."
Hart said he would like to get an extension done "as soon as possible," but he knows this is a business and things drag out.
Here are some other things Brunson said at his media day press conference.
He said he hasn't watched his entire Saturday Night Live episode yet and doesn't have a favorite sketch right now. He said he has only watched the monologue.
On losing Michell Robinson to free agency (Boston), and Andre Drummond stepping into that role: "Definitely tough. It's my guy. I think no matter what, I'm happy for him. Obviously, it's another opportunity. Got paid as well, and so it's definitely difficult. But you love to see someone advance some generational wealth, and so it's cool to see from that aspect. And I'm just getting Andre, and I'm very excited. I think he could be a big key to this team."
What did Brunson learn from winning a title in college that can apply to this season? "Just about not being satisfied. I think it's the biggest takeaway moving forward. You still want to figure out how you can grow as a person, as a player. So I'll use that experience....
"You just have to find a way to turn the page, move on, and I think it starts with the people who surround you. How quickly can they move on to the next thing? So, just understanding your environment and making sure you do what's best for your mental approach."
Was there a point last season when he felt the team clicked together? "You never know when things are going to turn for you, when things are going to click for you, but as long as you keep putting the work in every single day — keep tapping the rock, tapping the rock, eventually it's going to break. So you just never know when, though. It wasn't necessarily a turning point. It's just you can continue to do the things you're supposed to do every single day, and at some point, it all falls in your favor."
On how much the continuity of the roster helps him and this team: "The first couple weeks or whatever of the season is going to show us who we are and where we are. So, no matter what we're doing, whether we're playing great, playing bad, how are we going to be able to learn? We'll find a way. We'll hold each other accountable, just like we did last year, and then we'll be better....
"I think we have the confidence knowing that we did do it. That's going to help us, but that can also hurt us. So it's all about how we go into training camp and how we go into these first few weeks to see where we are as a team, and then we'll be able to adjust or continue to grow."
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Houston Rockets in the first quarter at Chase Center on April 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s no doubting that the Golden State Warriors will enter the 2026-27 NBA season with a whole lot of talent. Instead, the question with the Dubs has always been whether they can stay healthy, with Steph Curry and Draymond Green’s mounting list of ailments, Jimmy Butler III’s ACL, and Moses Moody’s patellar tendon.
The biggest injury question mark, however? That of Kristaps Porziņģis. After trading Jonathan Kuminga for him at February’s deadline, the Warriors somewhat surprisingly gave Porziņģis a two-year, $40 million extension to kick off the offseason.
When the Dubs inked the All-Star to that extension, the reasoning was simple: he fit in brilliantly both on offense and defense in his short stint last season, and can transform the team on both ends of the court. The concern was equally simple: for a variety of reasons, the 7’2 Porziņģis has been unable to stay on the court throughout his career. Just look at his games played totals for the last nine seasons:
48 0 57 43 51 65 57 42 32
And unfortunately, that trend is already continuing to start this season. When the Warriors arrived in Hawaii to start training camp on Monday, the 31-year old Porziņģis was not there with them. He is officially listed as out indefinitely due to a health issue, though the team has not provided more details than that.
According to GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., Porziņģis was fully cleared last week, but informed the team on Sunday of a health issue, and won’t join the team in Hawaii. The Dubs are in Hawaii for the first week of camp, which includes a preseason game on Sunday against the LA Clippers in Honolulu. They return to the Bay Area after that, as they host the Los Angeles Lakers next Tuesday in a preseason contest.
While the Warriors are being vague about what Porziņģis is dealing with, Dunleavy did try to temper concerns, tell reporters that the center is out for the week, but has not been ruled out for the start of the season in late October.
Dunleavy on Porzingis: "I'm not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that. He's just not available this week."https://t.co/ec5irIUgXC
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: Petey Halpin #0 of the Cleveland Guardians runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on September 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a 162-game season, it’s hard to point to precise moments that defined a baseball team’s rise or fall – but that’s not going to stop us from trying.
As we prepare for the Guardians to take on whoever emerges from the matchup of the Astros vs. the White Sox, let’s take a quick look back at six wins that proved absolutely crucial for the taking of their third straight AL Central title:
Gabriel Arias and Jose Ramirez both hit two-run homers and Gavin Williams struck-out 10 Dodgers in seven innings. The only run for the Dodgers came off a 9th inning Freddie Freeman bomb off of Cade Smith. This win secured the series win for the Guardians in L.A., meaning they would have a successful early road trip on the West Coast, after the Guardians split their season-opening series in Seattle. There was so much more of the season to be played, but in terms of this team establishing an identity that “We are good”, I believe being able to fall back on a series win over the reigning world champ and bank some early road wins turned out to be pivotal.
It was assumed entering 2026 that the Guardians’ primary competition for the AL Central crown would be the Detroit Tigers who signed Framber Valdez and elected not to trade ace Tarik Skubal in the offseason. However, the Guardians opened up the season with a four-game sweep of the Tigers, including this third win of the series in extra innings. Tanner Bibee allowed one run in eight innings of work and Erik Sabrowski, Colin Holderman and Cade Smith kept the Tigers off the board. Daniel Schneemann and Travis Bazzana singled in the top of the 9th, as the Guardians were down 1-0, and Steven Kwan in the middle of terrible early-season struggles, laid down a sacrifice bunt, allowing Patrick Bailey to drive in Schneemann with a groundout. That was all it took to get the game to extras where an Angel Martinez triple and Jose Ramirez double gave them the lead that Smith needed to close the door. The Guardians would go 10-3 against the Tigers in 2026, the difference between 1st and 3rd place in the Central.
Everyone should remember, with horror, June 13th, the game where Chase DeLauter broke a rib, Angel Martinez broke a foot, and Jose Ramirez broke a hamate bone. By the 24th of the same month, the Guardians were flailing just to keep their heads above water, especially against the upstart White Sox who had taken the first two games of this series from Cleveland. Things were going very well with the Guardians up 3-1 and another clutch outing from Bibee who went six scoreless. But, the White Sox showed their mettle by scoring off of Erik Sabrowski in the 7th and then TYING the game in the 9th with two home runs off the normally untouchable Cade Smith. Somehow, the Guardians picked themselves up off the mat with a clutch RBI single from Kahlil Watson, of all people, and then a shutdown bottom of the 10th inning from Shawn Armstrong, also of all people. Every win against the White Sox proved crucial, and this win showed how the team got contributions from the breadth and width of their roster to finally triumph. The Guardians would head out of this game and win their first series post-Jose injury over the Mariners.
Slade Cecconi had a bad day on his way out of the rotation surrendering five runs in five innings, but then turned it over to a Guardians’ bullpen B-team that refused to give up a run. One and two-thirds scoreless from DANIEL ESPINO (BACK FROM THE SHOULDER DEAD!), one and a third scoreless from Shawn Armstrong, and one clean inning from Tim Herrin. Travis Bazzana went two for three with a walk, driving in two with a double, and David Fry hit a homer to bring the game within one run headed into the ninth. And, that, my friends, is where who else but Brayan Rocchio stepped up against Grant Taylor (who is an excellent reliever) and delivered a two-run homer to walk it off (scoring Daniel Schneemann who had pinch-run for Rhys Hoskins after Hoskins delivered a 9th inning walk). All of this seems pretty wild in hindsight, but every win against the White Sox was desperately needed for the journey on which the 2026 regular season would take the Guardians.
After numerous disappointing series in August, the Guardians finally got into the easy part of their schedule, and, coming into this game, had taken five straight from the hapless Rockies and Angels. They needed to sweep this series. Too many earlier contests had slipped through their fingers to not find a way to sweep the six against two of the worst teams in MLB. Unfortunately, the Angels jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Joey Cantillo, but Cantillo buckled down and found a way to deliver four shutout innings to end his six inning stint, striking out seven. Meanwhile, the Guardians’ offense clawed back with one run in the fifth, one in the eighth and two in the ninth, keyed by a double from the resurgent Steven Kwan and the go-ahead sacrifice fly from Travis Bazzana. These are the regular, everyday wins in a baseball season that can slip through the cracks. But, when you take care of business, you eventually reap the rewards.
Obviously, you could choose September 15th’s Brayan Rocchio walk-off as the key win in September, but given that it was highly aided by a very poor defensive play from Sam Antonacci, I am going to go with the following day’s heroics, led by Petey Halpin. Parker Messick won this game, and he certainly deserves a shoutout since his consistent excellence all season was absolutely determinative for the Guardians makine the playoffs. Unfortunately, Tommy Pham convinced White Sox GM to give him a roster spot in an elevator and Pham hit a hanger from Messick into the bleachers for a three-run homer that had the White Sox up 3-2. But, then, with two outs and two on (David Fry and Austin Hedges via walks off dominant lefty Hagen Smith) in the sixth, Petey Halpin crushed a pitch from a tough lefty in Sean Newcombe for an unexpected three-run homer of his own. After a Jose RBI double, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and Cade Smith slammed the door shut on the White Sox for three scoreless innings. Though the Guardians lost the season series to the White Sox by one game, this game was the one that gave Cleveland a chance to complete the comeback and win the Central the final week of the season.
What are some other games that stand out to you ask key in the 2026 season for the Guardians? Which will stand out in your memory of another special season resulting in October baseball? Tell us in the comments below
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton attend a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With three starters from last year’s team now gone — LeBron James, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura — the Los Angeles Lakers have dramatically overhauled their roster, led by a lively series of transactions during free agency.
Among those brought in to help Los Angeles compete near the top of the Western Conference was Quentin Grimes, who has a chance to earn a starting spot alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. During Monday’s media day, Grimes told reporters that a Lakers team full of new faces is getting along well and gelling rather quickly.
Quentin Grimes says that the team has gotten along well quickly, and has gelled on the court at a rapid pace.
Grimes says that the Lakers will "shock" a lot of people in the NBA season ahead.
Quentin Grimes wants to win a starting spot as he joins the Lakers. He says they’re talented enough to “shock a lot of people this year, for sure.” pic.twitter.com/wHQcyPF9UH
With his point-of-attack defense, outside shooting, finishing and connective passing, Grimes profiles as an ideal fit next to Dončić. He briefly played with Dončić on the Dallas Mavericks and spent 2.5 seasons alongside Jalen Brunson in New York, so he’s experienced in the sort of role he’ll likely enjoy alongside Dončić and Austin Reaves moving forward.
The keys for Grimes will be to streamline his offensive decision-making and ratchet up the defense to his pre-Philadelphia ways. Sometimes, he’s a bit erratic and rushed attacking closeouts while he never really resembled the menacing on-ball defender folks were previously accustomed to during his tenure as a Sixer.
If he refines those areas, he’ll be a wonderful complementary starter for the Lakers and play a major role in whether they can actually surprise for the better this season.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 17: President of Baseball Operations David Stearns of the New York Mets looks on during batting practice prior to the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 17, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns held his end-of-season press conference today. The Mets missed the playoffs for the second straight year and finished last in the NL East despite a sky-high payroll and high expectations.
Stearns had to walk a tightrope with his answers, acknowledging his mistakes in building the 2026 squad while also sharing a message of optimism with a team that finished 34-31 after the All-Star break.
It didn’t take long for Pete Alonso or the now-cursed phrase ‘run prevention’ forever associated with Stearns to be brought up. Still, the executive pointed to the team’s improved cohesiveness after Andy Green took over managerial duties following Carlos Mendoza’s firing, as well as the exciting young talent that flourished as the season went on.
“The disappointment of this season is very true and real. I feel that, we as an organization, feel that, our fan base feels that. There’s no denying any of that, Stearns said. “There is also the real foundation here for the level of success and competitiveness that we expect to have, and that is also real.”
The Mets’ brutally slow start to the season, including a 12-game losing streak and injuries to Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, was essentially a worst-case scenario for the club and stood out to Stearns when asked what he could do to make sure missing the playoffs in such mediocre fashion wouldn’t happen again.
“We and I made a number of decisions that created the potential for almost an uncapped downside scenario,” he said. “We had a lot of change. I think that change in New York is probably different than change in other markets. We lived that. I think in addition to that change, we had different elements of our roster that didn’t have enough flexibility, so when we had underperformance, it made it very difficult for us to make in-season, on-the-fly adjustments.”
With another season of missing the playoffs, and Mets fans quick to call for Stearns’s scalp at games and online, he was asked if he feels pressure to turn it around.
“I’m always under pressure,” he said. “My job is to put a winning team on the field every year. That hasn’t changed from the day I sat up here for my introductory press conference to when I’m sitting up here right now.”
Alonso’s departure in free agency to the Orioles and his subsequent career year at the plate, combined with the Mets struggling to find a solid solution at first base, raised questions about what he learned from the situation.
“The truth is, in this job, I don’t get mulligans. I also recognize that Pete had a tremendous year, and the totality of our production at first base wasn’t good enough,” Stearns said. “It’s my job to ensure that we’ve got better success across our roster, but for the entirety of the season, better success at first base as well.”
The idea that it’s hard for players to perform in New York came up repeatedly. It was something Stearns acknowledged to be a truth, and that evaluating which free agents would be up for performing on the big stage is something he’ll be considering more in the future.
“This is a unique place to play. It’s different here,” he said. “I’ve lived it as a fan, and as an executive, when you win here, it’s the greatest thing in the world. There is nothing like coming to this ballpark in a playoff atmosphere and experiencing that. It’s equally extreme when things aren’t going well, and certain players struggle with that, and I’m cognizant of that.”
Stearns said his vision of run prevention didn’t work out too well, especially in the first half of the season.
“I think I’ll retire the phrase run prevention. I don’t know if that one wore particularly well,” he said. “I think our pitching and defense was much better in the second half than we were in the first half.”
Other key points discussed:
Stearns answered in the affirmative when asked if the club needs more viable starting pitching, saying, “I do think it’s necessary to add to our starting rotation. We can do that in a variety of different ways….Over the long term, what we need to do is develop pitchers at the top of our rotation, and I think we’ve proven we can do that….We also need to have more options, and we need the flexibility to go out and get those options when they’re needed.”
When asked how the club can prevent key injuries and make sure players coming off injury are ready to go, Stearns said reevaluating everything, including spring training ramp-ups, is on the table. “All of that is being looked at, and I imagine there will be some changes in how we do some of that,” he said.
When asked about which way Bo Bichette was leaning regarding his player option, he said, “I have not had those discussions with Bo. He’s got the right now to take some space and discuss things with his family and his agent. I’m sure he’ll get back to us.”
Stearns was once again noncommittal regarding hiring a general manager, but praised the recent addition of Derek Falvey to the front office. Similarly, he said he would discuss coaching staff additions with Green in the coming days.
Stearns said that the club will evaluate Kodai Senga’s role on the team during next year’s spring training. “We need a level of production in whatever role he’s going to be in to contribute to a winning team.”
When asked about the plans for the back end of the bullpen, Stearns praised Devin Williams’ work to get healthy and get some innings in before the end of the season. “He’s healthy, he feels great, and we expect him to be a big part of the back end going forward. We also feel good about the younger guys that stepped up in the last few months in a big way.”
Stearns said that Tylor Megill and Reed Garrett are progressing in their recovery from elbow surgery and that both have been around the team recently, with the expectation of being available to compete in spring training.
Stearns confirmed that Ronny Mauricio is still considered to be in the mix as an infield option moving forward. “We saw the flash of potential over the last couple of days. That was exciting for us to see, and I think it was great for him to experience heading into the offseason….I think he comes into spring training next year competing for a spot.”
When asked what the team could do to take the next step and be contenders, he said, “There’s the continued maturation and growth of (our young) group, there is more consistent play and more available play from a group of veterans that we think is really good, and then there’s whatever external acquisitions we bring in this offseason, along with the upper level of our (farm) system that we believe will contribute in a meaningful way this offseason.”
MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- This
wasn’t how the St. Louis Blues envisioned starting the season off,
but circumstances force one to alter the hand and the team feels like
it’s in a good spot.
With
general manager Alexander Steen announcing on Monday morning that
defensemen Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker will each start off the
season on injured reserve – Mailloux will be re-evaluated in eight
weeks after having a procedure Sunday on his right hand and Tucker
being out week-to-week with a right knee injury that will require a
second opinion – the Blues have options that they feel will
hopefully make for a seamless transition after recalling Adam
Jiricek, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and claiming
Justin Barron off waivers from the Nashville Predators.
“Very
good. He’s had a great camp,” Steen said of Mailloux. “That’s
the game. These things pop up when things are going good, and it’s
not the right timing, but this is part of the game. Logan is in a
good head space.
“Everything
went well (with the surgery). Now his main goal is to rehab and to
get himself as prepared as he was for camp for when he’s able to
return and at that time grab an oar and start rowing with the boys
again.”
Mailloux
was penciled in to begin the season paired with Philip Broberg on the
top pair, as they were to end last season when that duo really
started to take off.
“I
think he looked great,” Broberg said. “He was moving his feet,
passing the puck well, shooting it. He was looking very good, so it’s
unfortunate. He’s got to work his way back and get back as quick as
he can.”
Nonetheless,
the Blues feel they will have a hole to fill.
“That’s
a pretty significant loss just because he was playing so
aggressively, trusting his instincts, taking away time and space,
impacting the game at both ends of the ice,” Blues
coach Jim Montgomery said of Mailloux, who finished last season with
13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 67 games.
Mailloux
jumped in to confront Smith after the Blackhawks forward clipped
Broberg near his knee that resulted initially into a tripping minor
before the two scrapped.
“Yeah,
I think we've shown a lot of that, not just throughout the preseason
but discussions going into the year,” Steen said. “The guys feel
like they're growing in those areas and that was obviously a big play
by Logan.”
Broberg
appreciated his teammate jumping to his defense.
“I
jumped out of the way, I saw (Smith)
coming,” Broberg
said.
“He just got a piece of me. It’s hockey. It happens. I appreciate
(Mailloux) sticking up for me. Unfortunately, the fight went as it
went and just go from there.”
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 25: Brendan Beck #89 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during their game at Yankee Stadium on September 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Although they missed the playoffs, the season was a successful one for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. They finished 78-68 overall — 41-31 in the second half — and were in contention for the postseason until the final weekend.
This was the final season that Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will be known as the RailRiders; the team is rebranding next season.
“As a team, we were able to do a lot of good things and play some really good baseball for the most part,” pitcher Brendan Beck said. “It’s a bummer we came up a little short in the playoff push, but only one team can make it. We were playing meaningful baseball until the very end, so it was a good year.”
Beck, the Yankees’ No. 27 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, provided perhaps the biggest highlight of the season on June 5 at Syracuse when he combined with Carson Coleman on a no-hitter — the seventh in franchise history (third nine-inning). The right-hander was named International League Pitcher of the Year after finishing tied for second in wins with 10 and leading the league in ERA (2.93), strikeouts (151), innings (135.1), WHIP (1.06), and opponents’ batting average (.210). His strikeout total ranks fourth in franchise single-season history and his ERA ranks fifth.
Becktacular Year. 🌟
Brendan Beck was voted as @MiLB's International League Pitcher of the Year and honored as a 2026 All-Star! pic.twitter.com/ykupqo5WKe
On May 7, Beck made his major-league debut at Yankee Stadium against the Texas Rangers. Other RailRiders who got the call and made their major league debuts included Elmer Rodriguez (April 29), George Lombard Jr. (Aug. 4), Bradley Hanner (Aug. 14) and Alexander Cornielle (Sept. 25).
Rodriguez joined Beck on the International League All-Star team. The right-hander, who is the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect, went 8-4 with the RailRiders with a 2.45 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 106.1 innings.
Not only did the RailRiders have players who went up, but they also had a number of players come down, such as Jasson Dominguez, Anthony Volpe, and J.C. Escarra. Several Yankees players also did rehab assignments — pitchers Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, catcher Austin Wells, and outfielder Cody Bellinger.
“There’s been more movement on this team, more back and forth turnover with position players and pitchers than any team I’ve been on,” manager Shelley Duncan said. “Had a lot of guys come down from the big leagues with a tough mindset and they really gave themselves to the team. A lot of guys here with deep, strong individual aspirations and they poured themselves into the team. I’ve seen us go through stretches where things were bleak and they don’t give up hope or shut it down. They fight through it. I’ve seen players grow, I’ve seen some guys have some unbelievable years. I’ve seen some guys make some big career jumps. There’s a lot this season.”
Besides Beck, several other RailRiders ranked among the International League leaders. Yanquiel Fernandez tied for third in home runs with 27, ranked third in RBIs with 87, and tied for ninth in hits with 126. Oswaldo Cabrera tied for fifth in hits with 134 and was 10th in batting at .288 (134 for 466).
Duke Ellis finished second in the league in stolen bases with 60, one behind Worcester’s Braiden Ward. Ellis set the franchise single-season record for steals, breaking the mark of 44 set by the Red Barons’ Tommy Barrett in 1989. He also became the franchise’s career leader in steals with 102, surpassing the record of 82 held by the Red Barons’ Nick Punto. Ellis also ended the season with a 15-game hitting streak and a 20-game on-base streak.
Another highlight was a season-high eight-game winning streak from July 26 to Aug. 4, including a six-game series sweep in Iowa against the Chicago Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate. It was the first time since 1990 that a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team visited Iowa.
That winning streak gave the RailRiders a 23-9 record in the second half, good for first place in the standings by one game over the Durham Bulls and two over the Indianapolis Indians. However, they lost their next four games to Rochester at PNC Field by a combined 40-11 and that was the turning point for the RailRiders. Interestingly, that also was the turning point for the Red Wings and as they went 27-14 the rest of the way to win the second-half title, then capture the league championship over the first-half champion Memphis Redbirds. Rochester lost to the Pacific Coast League champion Oklahoma City Comets in 10 innings, 5-3, in the Triple-A National Championship Game in Las Vegas.
“It’s really a shame we were not in the playoffs,” relief pitcher Eric Reyzelman said. “I feel if this team got a chance to play in there, we would have been the last team coming out of Vegas. It’s tough the way it ended, but we played hard until the last second.”
While winning a championship would have been a storybook ending to the RailRiders era, it was still an exciting, memorable season.
SAN FRANCISCO ― The Golden State Warriors will only go as far as their franchise leader Stephen Curry will take them.
That is partially why it was important for him to ink a deal to return to the Warriors for the next year or two. Now that the dust has settled and the ink is dry, an area of focus for Curry will be his availability.
Curry missed 39 games for the Warriors last year with knee issues. Entering his 18th season, he's not getting any younger. He spent the offseason nursing his knee through many rounds of golf during the summer, now he's ready for basketball.
"Knee is feeling great, ready to go. No issues at all. There is a management element of it for sure where you just have to be mindful of everything that you're doing in practice, games, preparation," Curry said. "We haven't talked about the game schedule yet or anything like that where I'm kind of getting too far ahead of myself, but for training camp and the preseason schedule and getting myself into shape and ready to go, there's no limitations at all."
Curry is more confident going into the year, he said, after becoming stronger and understanding that he doesn't have 18-year-old knees anymore, let alone 28-year-old ligaments.
"So I'm excited to get out there and hoop. I feel like I've built a really good foundation over the summer to be in a much better position up until, what, November last year, it wasn't really any kind of signs or symptoms, but I feel a lot stronger and more understanding of what I'm dealing with," he said. "That gives me a lot of confidence going into the year."
“That’s how bad it is? To (not) make the playoffs?”
* Walks off *
“DAMN!”
Steph Curry’s reaction after he was asked about people not expecting the Warriors to make the playoffs 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/PBJ5jitSXE
If Bo Bichetteopts in for the 2027 season, the Mets will likely be set when it comes to most of their starting lineup, perhaps leaving first base and designated hitter as the two easiest ways for them to reshape the offense this offseason.
With that as a backdrop, president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns spoke on Monday about the team's struggle to fill first base in 2026 after Pete Alonso signed a five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles last offseason. On the decision to let Alonso walk, Stearns said he doesn't get "mulligans."
As far as how the Mets will address first base this offseason?
"I do think it's potentially a combination of internal pieces and external," Stearns explained. "I don't think, sitting up here right now, I'm gonna close the door on anything. I think Jared Younghad a really good second half of the season. When we gave him consistent playing time, he responded and performed.
"I think what we saw fromBrett Baty, particularly over the last four-to-six weeks where he was one of the best offensive players in all of baseball -- we need to see him do that more consistently. Brett knows that. But I don't want to undercount that as well. We have other internal options, and I also think we're going to be looking externally as well."
On Baty specifically, Stearns was forthright regarding the possibility that his strong finish was fool's gold.
In parts of five big league seasons with the Mets, Baty has showed promise at the plate, including when he posted a .748 OPS in 2025. But he has not been consistent enough.
"The truth is, we won't know," Stearns said about whether Baty can carry over his end-of-season success to 2027. "I do think having been around Brett for multiple years now, I think where he is from a mindset perspective, his level of belief in himself, and how he works through an at-bat, is different right now. But as with any player, until you see it for an extended period, very difficult for me to sit here right now and have complete certainty on that."
Regarding other internal options at first base, Jorge Polanco is theoretically one of them.
Aug 2, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) reacts after being callout on strikes during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
But Polanco missed the majority of this season due to a lingering ankle injury that required season-ending surgery. When he was on the field, he struggled badly, putting up a 22 OPS+ in 37 games.
And Stearns doesn't have illusions about what to expect from Polanco in 2027, which is the second and final year of the contract he inked last offseason.
"With Jorge, the early stages of the rehab are going really well," Stearns said. "I know, having gotten to know the person over the last year, he's going to work exceptionally hard to put himself in position to contribute. I also don't know the exact extent of what that's going to look like. I'm not gonna sit here and say he's gonna play 120 games at first base.
"I think we need to wait and see where he is in spring training. I know that when he's healthy, this is a really good offensive player from both sides of the plate who can hit in the middle of the lineup and do a bunch of different things. I would love to have that version of player on the team, and I'm looking forward to seeing what we get in spring training."
When it comes to external options, the free agent market isn't particularly enticing.
Ty France is coming off a huge season for the Padres (career-best .865 OPS), but is entering his age-32 season and is one year removed from signing a minor league deal.
An intriguing option could be Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, who is expected to be posted for big league clubs this offseason.
Sato, 27, has been primarily a third baseman and outfielder in Japan, but could slide across the diamond to first base in the majors.
Sato smacked 37 homers in 136 games this season for the Hanshin Tigers while posting a career-best OPS of 1.017.
In this episode of the Sens Nation Podcast, The Hockey News Ottawa site editor Steve Warne and co-hostGregg Kennedy discuss the big wave of cuts the Senators made Sunday. We also get into why the Sens appear to be keeping some extra bodies around because of injury concerns, particularly the ones involving Artem Zub, Jake Sanderson and Andre Burakovsky.
We talk abut the loss of goaltender Leevi Meriläinen, who was claimed off waivers by the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, and the Sens' decision to acquire Jonas Johansson from the Tampa Bay Lightning to fill the vacancy.
That leaves the Senators with an interesting possibility in goal: could all four of the Sens' goaltenders on the Ottawa/Belleville depth chart this season be Swedish?
We also review the Senators' preseason, discuss the NHL's sudden enforcement of the jersey-tucking rule, and look at the San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins naming new captains.
And with opening night just days away, the big question is: How long until the Senators name their captain?
Aaron Judge is putting his calf where his mouth is.
After reiterating his intention to make himself available for the AL wild-card series, less than two weeks after suffering a moderate calf strain, Judge is scheduled to take live batting practice Monday at Yankee Stadium as he tries to convince Yankees brass to include him on the roster on the eve of their showdown with the Red Sox.
“I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge said with a grin at his locker before the live session. “But I think the most important thing is making sure I’m healthy and ready to go for this long stretch. We got another month of baseball to play, so I want to be ready for the long run we’re going to go on for this next month. We’re all going to be smart, but I think they all know I want to be out there, especially in the first game.”
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The three-time MVP said he has still not run the bases, which is always a key hurdle for players to clear coming back from soft-tissue leg injuries, but indicated he has been running on an anti-gravity treadmill and left open the possibility that he could try running on the field later Monday.
While Judge’s live batting practice session should give the Yankees some important information as to how he looks and feels, they will have to weigh whether it is worth the risk of playing him this soon and leaving himself open to reinjury or suffering something worse. The soleus muscle, which is the part of the calf where Judge’s strain is located, is connected to the Achilles tendon.
“Guys take risks every single day,” Judge said. “I know a lot of guys in here are banged up and dealing with stuff. I understand the risk, I’ve got it all.”
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge takes live batting practice at Yankees Stadium in The Bronx on Sept. 28, 2026. The practice comes a day before Game 1 of the 2026 American League Wild Card game against the Boston Red Sox. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Aaron Boone indicated that Judge resumed hitting indoors on Sunday, though the captain later said he has been hitting “for a while.”
“It feels great, which is definitely a big step forward, because you produce a lot of weight on that back leg, so feeling good there,” Judge said.
Once again, Judge added that he hopes to come back as a right fielder because it would help the Yankees the most, given that they already have a logjam at DH/first base with Ben Rice, Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt. But it is questionable whether he would be able to play the field for nine innings without issue, and if he can’t, would the Yankees really be able to carry both him and Giancarlo Stanton – who is trying to come back from three different calf strains that have sidelined him since late April and figures to be available as strictly a pinch hitter – on the same roster?
Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge smiles as he walks into the batting cage to take batting practice Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, at Yankees Stadium in The Bronx, New York. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Judge, who already missed three-plus months of the regular season with a right rib stress fracture, pledged to do everything he could to be ready for Tuesday. Left unsaid: even all of that still might not be enough.
“I think the biggest thing is understanding how short – the time to be a Yankee and play this game of baseball is a very short window,” Judge said. “Ten years have gone by since I debuted out here, so time flies. I just think about that more than thinking about age. I feel like I’ll still be a good baseball player at 45.
“It’s more just your window to play this game is short, so you don’t want to miss an opportunity.”
