LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: The sneakers worn by Malik Williams #37 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Miami Heat during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 18, 2025 at the Pavilion 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jun 14, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Phil Kessel (81) waves to the crowd during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally in downtown Pittsburgh. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Phil and Amanda Kessel have each been elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2026 class.
During his 4 years with the Penguins, Phil Kessel helped the team win two Stanley Cup titles as a key part of the franchise’s infamous “HBK Line” alongside Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino.
In his 4 seasons in Pittsburgh, Phil Kessel scored 110 goals and added 193 assists in 328 games.
After leaving Pittsburgh, Phil Kessel added another Stanley Cup title to his resume with the Vegas Golden Knights, completing his career with 992 points in 1,286 games.
“Obviously, this is a great honor,” Phil Kessel said to NHL.com. “I loved playing for USA Hockey over the years, enjoyed my time, enjoyed all the friends I made. It was always a great honor to play for the team, and I’m just happy to be inducted. This is a great class. Obviously, I’m excited to go in with my sister. She was a great player.”
At the international level, Phil Kessel represented the United States at the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014, bringing home one silver medal.
Phil Kessel’s younger sister, Amanda, who is currently serving as the Penguins’ Director of Minor League Operations and Assistant General Manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, had an outstanding international playing career, representing the United States at the the Winter Olympics three times, winning gold once and silver twice.
“It’s, obviously, really special to go in with my brother, who’s helped me a ton throughout my career, and I couldn’t be more proud of him as well,” Amanda Kessel said.
In addition to her international career, Amanda Kessel won three national championship titles at the University of Minnesota and played two seasons in the NWHL.
The Kessel duo will become just the second brother-sister pair to be elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, joining Cammi and Tony Granato, the latter having served as a Penguins assistant coach under Dan Bylsma.
The official enshrinement ceremony will take place on November 30.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 10: Cam Smith #11 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Astros defeated the Phillies 2-1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Was this the dumbest baseball game ever played? No, that would be a stretch.
But if you didn’t have school or work today and decided to watch this one, your brain would be in danger. From Alec Bohm hesitating at second base on a groundball to his left or Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña getting caught on a double-play line drive because he was going to third base no matter what, this game was pretty unique in its stupidity. It’s a little scary that a game could look like this and the Phillies don’t even play the Mets until next week.
Zack Wheeler’s seven-inning, one-run, nine-strikeout performance did not jump off to a great start. In the second inning, Christian Walker knocked a soft one-out single to Marsh in left field. After a Cam Smith strikeout, Taylor Trammell took a first-pitch curveball to the right field wall, scoring Walker all the way from first in-part because Bryce Harper overthrew the cutoff man.
As both teams lagged through the next few innings because both teams have a flight to catch, the Phillies fans in Citizens Bank Park were getting flashbacks to 2022 when Christian Javier started carrying a no-hitter through four innings.
Luis Arraez was not on the 2022 team, although he would’ve fit right in as another first baseman playing out of position. He punched a high fastball to left field for a leadoff single in the fifth to break the no-no. Two pitches later, Alec Bohm smoked a high fastball to the track for a one-hopper off the wall that put runners on second and third with no out.
In the next four pitches, the Phillies tied the game but broke everyone’s brain. Stott hit a routine groundball to Alec Bohm’s left but he froze between second and third base, leading to a very easy throw for Jeremy Peña to third baseman Issac Paredes.
On the very next pitch, Brandon Marsh hit a changeup right to the sure-handed first baseman Christian Walker, who stepped on the first base bag and immediately got Bryson Stott into a run down which ended the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Justin Crawford legged out a Baltimore chopper that future Hall of Famer Jose Altuve had no chance at.
Right after, Don Mattingly instructed for Rafael Marchán to lay down a bunt to try and move Crawford over. Javier threw him a high fastball that was fouled, which sometimes happens. On the second pitch, Marchán pulled his bat back but it landed in the bottom right corner of the strike zone, putting in an 0-2 hole. They still made him try and bunt Crawford over, which is fine because Rafael Marchán’s OPS starts with a three and his batting average starts with a one.
On the next pitch, Javier threw a fastball right to Christian Vázquez’s face and eye to eye with Marchán in the box. Marchán still tried to bunt it anyway, the ball went foul, and he took a full knob of wood to the face. He’s out.
A passed ball with Kyle Schwarber in the box allowed for Crawford to advance to second anyway but Schwarber struck out on a high fastball. A very normal breaking ball and cutter in, then high fastball for a late swing sequence.
Trea Turner saw seven pitches and none of them were in the strike zone. He chased two Javier sweepers, fouled off a fastball, then spat on three straight off-speed pitches before going down on a changeup in the left handed batters box that never looked like a strike.
We can skip over Zack Wheeler overcoming back-to-back two-out walks that loaded the bases for the Astros in the seventh. Yanier Diaz struck out on a nasty sweeper. It was fine.
In the top of the eighth, after having Alex McFarlane warm up in the seventh in case Wheeler got into more trouble, he sat McFarlane down for José Alvarado. On the seventh pitch to Jeremy Peña, he hit a grounder in the shortstop hole that Trea Turner backhanded and threw the ball into the seats. It’s what Drake Maye should’ve done last night so maybe that’s the idea.
After falling behind 3-0 to Yordan Alvarez, Don Mattingly puts up four fingers so there are two on with no one out. With a one-one count, Issac Paredes hit a line drive right to Trea Turner’s glove, Jeremy Peña decided to start running to third even though the ball never came close to hitting the ground and a double play bailed them out.
Against Altuve, Alvarado hung a cutter that was smoked right between Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford in left-center that put runners on second and third with two outs. Daulton Varsho then hit a one-pitch pop up to Bryson Stott that ended the threat.
Bryan Abreu then threw a dominant, ten-pitch, ten-strike, three-strikeout eighth that was one Justin Crawford foul ball away from being an immaculate inning. Brandon Marsh smoked a foul ball off his foot and then had to leave the game for Derek Hill.
In the top of the ninth, with out out, Cam Smith caught a hanging splinker and did not miss it. Smith broke the one-one tie for Josh Hader to throw an easy one-two-three inning. Of course the ending can’t be dramatic!
Anyway, the Braves beat the Rays 3-1, so the Phillies immediately lost the game they gained from last night and travel to Atlanta down four games. Never say never on the division but they probably need a sweep to have a real chance.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Theo Gillen #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays prepares to bat during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays have announced the winners of their 2026 Minor League awards:
Minor League Co-Player of the Year: Catcher Caden Bodine
Bodine, 22, has slashed .344/.411/.519 (156-for-453) with 27 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, 97 RBI, 49 walks, and 81 runs scored over 112 games across four levels of the Rays system this season. He is the only Rays farmhand to play 10 games or more for all four full-season affiliates in a single campaign since at least 2005. Bodine’s .344 average is the second best among full-season minor leaguers. The switch-hitting backstop is on pace to be the first Rays minor leaguer to finish with a top-two batting average in the minors since Chandler Simpson won the minor league batting title in 2024. Bodine’s .344 clip would mark the fifth-highest average by a full-season Rays minor leaguer (min. 316 plate appearances).
Bodine began the season with Class-A Charleston and slashed .379/.433/.614 (50-for-132) with 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs, and 27 RBI in 33 games for the RiverDogs. He earned Carolina League Player of the Month and Rays Organizational Player of the Month honors in April. At the time of his promotion, he paced all Single-A hitters in batting average (.379), ranked second in slugging percentage (.614) and OPS (1.047), and was fifth in hits (50). Bodine reached base safely in 30 of his 33 games with Charleston.
He played 32 games with Class-A Bowling Green and posted a .341 (45-for-132) average with six doubles, four home runs, 30 RBI, a .411 on-base percentage, and a .477 slugging percentage. He hit safely in a career-best 18 straight games between June 4-25, a streak that included a South Atlantic League Player of the Week award for June 15-21. During the streak, Bodine went 34-for-79 (.430) with four doubles, one home run, 21 RBI, and a 1.003 OPS.
He was promoted to the Double-A level on June 30 and appeared in 37 games for Montgomery. During his stint in the Southern League, he turned in a .316/.397/.447 (48-for-152) slash line with five doubles, five home runs, 33 RBI, with 20 walks to 12 strikeouts. Between June 30 and Aug. 23, Bodine’s .316 average ranked fourth in the Southern League, while his .397 on-base percentage was seventh best and his 33 RBI tied for eight most. He closed his tenure with the Biscuits by reaching base safely in 12 straight games from Aug. 8-23 and was promoted to Triple-A Durham on Aug. 25.
Bodine began his Triple-A career with an eight-game hitting streak from Aug. 25 through Sept. 5, extending his on-base streak to a career-best 20 games across the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Across 10 games with Durham, he has hit .351 (13-for-37) with four doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, and a 1.017 OPS. Over his last 67 games since June 4, he has hit safely in 57 of those contests and has reached base safely in 60 of 67.
The Mount Holly, N.J. native was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles alongside outfielder Slater de Brun, right-handed pitcher Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Overn, and a 2026 Competitive Balance Round A draft pick (No. 33 overall) in exchange for right-handed pitcher Shane Baz. He is rated as the No. 51 overall prospect, including the No. 5 catching prospect, and the Rays No. 3 prospect by MLB.com.
Minor League Co-Player of the Year: Outfielder Theo Gillen
Gillen, 20, has hit .315 (138-for-438) with 23 doubles, seven triples, 22 home runs, 90 RBI, 44 stolen bases, a .422 on-base percentage, and a .972 OPS in 114 games across stints with Class-A Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery. He has reached base safely in 107 of 114 games this season and in 185 of 195 games across his minor league career since the Rays selected him in the first round (18th overall) of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Westlake High School (Texas).
Gillen batted .342/.449/.589 (75-for-219) with 12 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 44 RBI, 53 runs, and 28 stolen bases in 57 games with Bowling Green. At the time of his promotion on June 23, he paced High-A batters in average, ranked second in on-base percentage and OPS (1.038), was third in slugging percentage, tied for third in total bases (129), tied for fifth in hits, sixth in stolen bases, and tied for sixth in runs scored. Over 57 games with Double-A Montgomery, he has hit .288 (63-for-219) with 11 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 46 RBI, a .394 on-base percentage, and 16 stolen bases.
The outfielder was named Rays Organizational Player of the Month in June after reaching base in every game as part of a season-best, 32-game on-base streak between May 27 through July 4. In June, he went 33-for-97 (.340) with four doubles, three home runs, 18 RBI, 11 stolen bases, 20 walks to 21 strikeouts, and a .458 on-base percentage over 24 games. He also produced a 27-game on-base streak between July 17 and Aug. 21 and a 25-game on-base streak from April 21 to May 24.
With 22 home runs, 90 RBI, and 44 stolen bases, Gillen is one of five affiliated minor leaguers since at least 2005 to post 20 home runs or more, 90 RBI or more, and 40 stolen bases or more at full-season levels in a single season. The only others to accomplish the feat are Konnor Griffin (2025), Jackson Chourio (2023), Cade Marlowe (2022), and George Springer (2013).
On May 29 at Hudson Valley, Gillen reached base six times in six plate appearances with three hits, three walks, two RBI, and four stolen bases. He became the second minor leaguer since at least 2005 to reach base in each of six plate appearances or more and steal four bases or more, joining Milwaukee prospect Braylon Payne, who did so on Sept. 7, 2024 at Carolina.
Gillen is ranked as the No. 12 minor league prospect, No. 2 minor league outfielder, and the No. 2 Rays prospect. On July 8, he was named to the AL roster for the Futures Game during All-Star Week in Philadelphia, going 1-for-3 with an RBI in the July 12 exhibition.
Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Right-handed pitcher Ty Johnson
Johnson, 24, went 4-1 with a 3.03 ERA (62.1 IP, 21 ER), 84 strikeouts, 25 walks, a 0.96 WHIP, and a .164 (35-for-213), opponent batting average over 21 appearances (10 starts) with Triple-A Durham before his major league promotion on Sept. 5. He made his MLB debut on Sept. 6 at Texas, working a scoreless inning of relief with one walk and two strikeouts.
Over the course of May, he spun a 1-0 record, a 1.17 ERA (23.0 IP, 3 ER), 29 strikeouts, and a .171 (14-for-82) opponent batting average in five starts en route to an International League Pitcher of the Month award. He closed the month of June with 5.0 hitless innings against Norfolk on June 28, adding nine strikeouts and one walk to win International League Pitcher of the Week honors (June 22-28).
After transitioning to the bullpen, Johnson made nine relief appearances in August to a 0.79 ERA (11.1 IP, 1 ER), 0.35 WHIP, and .059 (2-for-34) opponent batting average with 19 strikeouts, earning Rays Player Organizational Pitcher of the Month honors for his efforts. He faced 36 batters in August, with only four reaching base safely. He led all Triple-A pitchers with a 0.35 WHIP during the month, third best by a Ray farmhand in a calendar month since 2021 and third best by a Durham pitcher since at least 2005 (min. 10.0 innings pitched).
Johnson was acquired from the Chicago Cubs alongside infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel and right-handed pitcher Hunter Bigge for infielder Isaac Paredes on July 28, 2024. The Rockwall, Texas native is rated as the Rays No. 10 prospect by MLB.com.
Relief Pitcher of the Year: Right-handed pitcher Alexander Alberto
Alberto, 24, has split 46 appearances (five starts) between Double-A Montgomery (21 appearances) and Triple-A Durham (25 appearances/five starts), going a combined 3-1 with a 3.72 ERA (55.2 IP, 23 ER), 68 strikeouts, 22 walks, and a 1.26 WHIP. He began the year with Montgomery, posting a 2.20 ERA (28.2 IP, 7 ER), 0.94 WHIP, and .191 (18-for-94) opponent batting average. At the time of his June 16 promotion, it marked the sixth-best WHIP in the Southern League (min. 25.0 IP). He has gone 1-0 with a 5.33 ERA (27.0 IP, 16 ER) in 25 games (five starts) with Durham, tallying 29 strikeouts against 13 walks. The right-hander has held opponents scoreless in 28 of his 41 relief outings and kept them hitless in 15 of the 41. He did not allow a run in 10 straight relief appearances from May 15 to June 16.
Alberto was tabbed as Rays Relief Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season after turning in a 2.59 ERA (48.2 IP, 14 ER) and 1.17 WHIP in 2025. The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic was signed as an international free agent on Nov. 25, 2019. He is currently ranked as the Rays No. 25 prospect by MLB.com.
Defensive Player of the Year: Outfielder Mac Horvath
Horvath, 25, has appeared in 115 games for Double-A Montgomery this season, including 64 as a center fielder, 30 as a right fielder, 16 as a left fielder, and five as a second baseman. He has committed only three errors on 304 total chances for a fielding percentage of .990 over 968.0 innings. He is tied for the Double-A lead with 12 outfield assists, and his .989 fielding percentage as an outfielder ranks fifth among all outfielders at the level (min. 850.0 innings in the outfield).
The native of Austin, Minn. was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles alongside right-handed pitcher Jackson Baumeister and outfielder Matthew Etzel for right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin on July 26, 2024.
Baserunner of the Year: Infielder Tony Santa Maria
Santa Maria, 24, paces the organization with 58 stolen bases on 67 attempts (86.6 pct.) across 101 games with Class-A Bowling Green and 13 games with Triple-A Durham. He joined previous Baserunner of the Year winners Chandler Simpson (2023-24) and Homer Bush Jr. (2025) as the only Rays minor leaguers with 55-steal campaigns since 2021. The infielder is one of four full-season minor leaguers to have swiped 50 bases or more and produce a .400 on-base percentage or higher this season.
The Atlantic City, N.J. native was selected in the 19th round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Rutgers University.
Erik Walker Community Champion: Right-handed pitcher Aidan Haugh
Named after former Rays minor league pitcher Erik Walker, who died tragically in 2006 following his first season in professional baseball, the award annually recognizes a Rays minor leaguer who exemplifies teamwork, sportsmanship, and community involvement. Haugh was selected from a field that included nominees from each Rays affiliate. The Rays Up Foundation will make a $2,500 donation in Haugh name to his chosen charity.
In his first professional season this past summer with Class-A Charleston, Haugh recorded a 9-6 record, a 4.79 ERA (118.1 IP, 63 ER), 1.36 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts to 28 walks across 24 outings (23 starts). His 4.07 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked eighth among Class-A arms (min. 100.0 innings pitched), while his nine wins tied for 10th. Between May 28 and June 10, he strung together 17.2 consecutive scoreless frames, a stretch that included a 7.0-inning, complete-game shutout in the opener of a doubleheader on May 28 at Columbia.
The 23-year-old was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 First-Year Player draft out of the University of North Carolina. Additional nominees for the award included Logan Workman (Durham), Mac Horvath (Montgomery), and Garrett Gainey (Bowling Green).
The Rays also announced Most Valuable Players for each of their seven affiliates:
Triple-A Durham MVP: Right-handed pitcher Ty Johnson
In addition to his Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award, Johnson earned Durham MVP honors one year after being named Double-A Montgomery’s Co-MVP in 2025.
Double-A Montgomery MVP: Infielder Xavier Isaac
Isaac, 22, slashed .255/.400/.510 (86-for-337) in 99 games for Double-A Montgomery with eight doubles, three triples, 24 home runs, 71 RBI, 80 walks, and 77 runs scored. He paces the Southern League in on-base percentage, ranks second in walks, third in OPS, fourth in slugging percentage, tied for fourth in runs scored, and sixth in homers.
The infielder was promoted to Triple-A Durham on Aug. 25 and has produced a .308 average (12-for-39) and a 1.079 OPS in his first 11 games with the Bulls. His .404 on-base percentage and .928 OPS across 2026 are single-season career highs. With 27 home runs between both teams, he is one of 12 full-season minor leaguers to have 25 home runs or more and a .400 on-base percentage or better in 2026.
Isaac earned Organizational Player of the Month honors in August after slashing .311/.443/.703 (23-for-74) with five doubles, eight home runs, 24 RBI, 18 walks, a 1.146 OPS, and three stolen bases over 21 games between Montgomery (14) and Durham (four), earning a promotion on Aug. 25. His eight home runs, 18 walks, 27 runs, and 13 extra-base hits (tied) led all Rays farmhands during the month.
The left-handed batter was selected in the first round (29th overall) of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of East Forsyth High School (N.C.) and is ranked as the Rays No. 18 prospect by MLB.com.
Class-A Bowling Green MVP: Catcher Nathan Flewelling
Flewelling, 19, hit .243/.364/.452 (98-for-403) with 17 doubles, two triples, 21 home runs, 67 RBI, and 68 runs in 106 games for Bowling Green. The backstop recorded a 19-game on-base streak between June 14 and July 8. Over that stretch, he produced a .328/.505/.672 (22-for-67) line with three doubles, one triple, six home runs, 12 RBI, and a 1.177 OPS. He reached base safely in 90 of 106 games with the Hot Rods.
The native of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada was one of three qualified South Atlantic League (SAL) catchers to post a .360 on-base percentage or better, ranking 17th among all SAL hitters. He was selected in the third round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Joseph High School (Alberta, Canada) and is currently ranked as the No. 65 minor league prospect and the No. 4 prospect in the Rays organization by MLB.com.
Class-A Charleston MVP: Infielder Cooper Flemming
Flemming, 20, produced a .298/.379/.450 (133-for-447) slash line in 116 games with Class-A Charleston. He added 29 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 79 RBI, 51 walks, and 16 stolen bases. The infielder registered a team-best 30-game on-base streak between July 17 and Aug. 23, that included a 12-game hitting streak from Aug. 4-18, tied for the longest by a RiverDog all season. The on-base streak was tied for the eighth longest at the Single-A level in 2026.
The No. 83 minor league prospect and No. 5 prospect in the Rays organization (MLB.com), Flemming was selected in the second round of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft out of Aliso Niguel High School (Calif.).
Antunez, 19, went 50-for-192 (.260) in 53 games in the Florida Complex League (FCL) with eight doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 40 RBI, 40 runs, 35 walks, 12 stolen bases, and a .397 on-base percentage. A year after being named DSL Tampa Bay MVP, the infielder launched seven home runs in the FCL, tying the most by an FCL Ray in a single season since at least 2005, matching Kaleo Johnson in 2018. He also ranked highly in the FCL in RBI (tied for fifth), hits (ninth), runs (10th), and total bases (10th).
The native of Valencia, Venezuela was promoted to Class-A Charleston on July 28 at the conclusion of the FCL season. Antunez was signed as an international free agent on Jan. 15, 2024. MLB.com rates the 19-year-old as the No. 19 prospect in the Rays organization.
Rodriguez, 17, batted .311 (61-for-196) with 10 doubles, one home run, 51 RBI, 26 walks, 33 stolen bases, and a .401 on-base percentage in 53 games during his first professional season with DSL Rays and DSL Tampa Bay. He ranked highly among qualified DSL batters in RBI (eighth), hits (10th), and stolen bases (tied for 10th). The infielder produced the two longest hitting streaks by a DSL Rays player this season, with a 10-game streak between June 30 and July 14 and a nine-game streak between June 1-12. A first-time DSL midseason All-Star, he led all of the organization’s Dominican Summer League prospects on both clubs in hits and RBI. The Caracas, Venezuela native was signed as an international free agent on Jan. 15, 2026.
Rookie-level DSL Tampa Bay MVP: Outfielder Maykel Coret
Coret, 18, slashed .303/.407/.491 (53-for-175) with six doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 36 RBI, 42 runs scored, 22 stolen bases, and an .898 OPS across 46 games. He produced a 14-game on-base streak from June 9 through July 3, which included an eight-game hitting streak (June 11-23). His seven home runs were the most by a Rays farmhand in the DSL since 2022. The La Romana, Dominican Republic native was signed as an international free agent on Jan. 15, 2025.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 09: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Will Smith #16 after hitting a two-run home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the thir inning of the MLB game at Dodger Stadium on September 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani has not played in six of the last seven games, and is being placed on the injured list. Freddie Freeman missed two games in the last week and was the designated hitter for another game as he nurses a right knee issue. The Dodgers began their homestand with two frustrating losses to the middling Cardinals before finally found their way, ripping off seven straight wins.
After below-average offense as a team for two full months in Julyand August, the Dodgers scored 58 runs in nine games on the homestand, averaging 6.4 per game and they scored at least five runs seven times in the nine games.
They did all this despite suffering through an 0-for-24 stretch with runners in scoring position over the final two games against St. Louis. The Dodgers nearly got swept, with Freeman’s first-inning home run on September 2 the only hit with a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning of September 3 when Teoscar Hernández doubled home two, turning a deficit into a walk-off win.
The Dodgers made up for it by thriving with runners in scoring position against the Nationals and Reds, fueling two sweeps, hitting .288/.397/.577 but more importantly earning 63 such plate appearances in the six games, averaging 10.5 per contest.
Coupled with Freeman’s blast on September 2, the Dodgers’ four three-run home runs on the homestand matched their total for all of August, covering 27 games.
All that timely hitting gave way to pure bulk in the homestand finale on Wednesday, with the Dodgers exploding for nine runs in the first four innings in a 14-1 rout of the Reds.
Blowout wins are the hallmark of good teams, and the Dodgers led the majors with 25 such wins (decided by five or more runs) through the end of June, but only had two such wins in July and two more wins in August. Wednesday was their first blowout win of September, and was the first time the Dodgers led by five runs before the eighth inning since August 17 at Coors Field.
Hernández began his hot streak with a two-run home to to help the Dodgers win their last game of August, in Detroit, and has recaptured his old swing with a 10-game hitting streak during which he has 18 hits in 35 at-bats (.514) with six extra-base hits and 14 RBI.
Betts thrived on the homestand, hitting .375/.421/.750 with three home runs, three doubles, 10 runs scored and 13 driven in over eight games.
Betts has scored a run in nine straight games, and Hernández has driven in a run in seven straight. Both are the longest streaks by a Dodger in 2026.
COLUMBUS, OHIO - JUNE 18, 2026: Alexander Cornielle #23 of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders throws a pitch during the second inning against the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park on June 18, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Brendan Beck has been the best pitcher for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders all season as well as in the International League. He currently leads in wins (10), earned-run average (2.75), strikeouts (146), innings (131.0), WHIP (1.03) and opponents’ batting average (.203).
Those numbers might be even better had Beck not been recalled and optioned by the New York Yankees four times in the past month. However, with Beck on the move, Alexander Cornielle has helped pick up the slack and been effective over the last six weeks. Since joining the RailRiders in June, the 25-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic was 1-2 with four no-decisions and a 4.66 earned-run average in his first seven starts. In 25.1 innings, he allowed 13 runs (all earned) and 23 hits with 18 walks and 26 strikeouts.
However, in his last eight appearances (seven starts), he is 4-2 with two no-decisions and a 1.57 ERA. In 40.2 innings, he has given up just seven runs (all earned) and 29 hits with 17 walks and 40 strikeouts. His best highlight came on August 28th at Worcester when he tossed a career-high eight shutout innings on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts in a 2-0 win. That effort earned him International League Pitcher of the Week for the period of Aug. 24-30.
Days later, Cornielle was selected IL Pitcher of the Month for August. He was 2-1 in five starts during the month with a 1.50 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Alex owned August. 🔥 After just earning the IL Pitcher of the Week following an eight-inning shutout, Cornielle has been tabbed as @MiLB's Pitcher of the Month for August!
Cornielle joins Brendan Beck as an IL monthly award-winner in 2026. It marks the first time in team… pic.twitter.com/tmOLp4VuaD
“I really don’t look at that stuff. It just really shows off how the team overall is doing,” Cornielle said. “We’re in a good row. It shows overall how my stuff is playing with facing the hitters and how deceptive I am. The team’s on a good roll. It feels good.”
Even in defeat, Cornielle has pitched well. In the opener Monday of the first-place showdown series with the Rochester Red Wings, he had a quality start: two runs on four hits in six innings with four walks and seven strikeouts in a 3-1 loss.
Cornielle was signed by Yankees as a free agent in December after spending six minor-league seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He began this season on the 60-day injured list, and he thinks that may have attributed to his struggles in his first seven starts. Those games were like his spring training.
“I don’t think, honestly, I was doing anything wrong,” Cornielle said. “In the beginning, yeah, I was walking a lot of people, throwing a lot of pitches in innings. But for me, showing up late, these guys (opposing batters) have three or four months competing on me. So they’re better prepared in that sense. It’s something I feel like I didn’t have in the beginning. So going through those rough patches and hearing what my pitching coaches say about how all the stuff is playing and how everything was. My pitches weren’t bad. The hitters had an advantage on me, I was a little behind in that sense. But after I got the hang of it, it’s been pretty easy.”
He made some minor adjustments that has helped contribute to his recent success.
“We’ve been working a little bit on mechanics,” Cornielle said. “Try to stay efficient, linear to home plate to be able to access more velo. Tweaking grips a little bit to make pitches move a little more.”
On September 2nd against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Cornielle followed Clarke Schmidt after Schmidt made a rehab start. Cornielle said it is helpful to observe when major leaguers like Schmidt, Carlos Rodon and Max Fried have been with the RailRiders on rehab assignments.
“I love what they do. I want to be in their shoes and hope I will at some point in my career,” Cornielle said. “What they do is amazing, their work ethic and everything.
“But I don’t really ask for advice. I feel weird approaching a guy like that to ask for stuff and pick your brain. I honestly look more at their work ethic, what they do with the routines and I take my notes. Having those guys here prepares you on what to expect from the guys when you get up to the big club. How they handle themselves, how they talk, how they look at people, how they do certain stuff. I feel like that kind of stuff helps me create that thought process. How to shape myself potentially for when I get there.”
On the days that he pitches, Cornielle likes to keep to himself and not socialize much. His next start is scheduled for Sunday in the series finale at Rochester.
“Something turns on in my brain and I really don’t know what it is,” he said. “I just become a different person, people can tell you.”
After the first two games of the six-game showdown series in Rochester, nothing has changed. The RailRiders and Red Wings split to remain tied for first place in the International League second-half standings. The Indianapolis Indians are one game back, while the Worcester Red Sox and St. Paul Saints are two games behind.
Next week, the final week of the regular season, the RailRiders are home to face the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Rochester finishes with a road series against the Buffalo Bisons.
Another week, another weekly award for the RailRiders.
Anthony Volpe was chosen International League Player of the Week for the period of Sept. 1-6. Volpe was named after helping the RailRiders win five games against the intrastate rival Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He batted .524 (11 for 21) in six games with three doubles and three home runs. He had six RBI, scored eight runs, drew three walks and stole five bases.
Volpe is the third RailRider to be selected Player of the Week, joining Yanquiel Fernandez (May 18-24) and Tyler Hardman (July 6-12). Besides Cornielle, Beck was named IL Pitcher of the Week three times (May 11-17, June 1-8, July 20-26) as well as Pitcher of the Month for June.
One of the more shocking bits of news to come out of the tail end of the offseason is that the Anaheim Ducks are moving on from veteran winger Chris Kreider.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Anaheim is expected to place the 35-year-old on waivers for the purpose of mutually terminating his contract, a move that requires Kreider's approval and will make him an unrestricted free agent.
The decision stems from a cap crunch in Anaheim after the Ducks matched Philadelphia's five-year, $90 million offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson, leaving them roughly $9 million in space while still needing to lock up restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier, who scored 41 goals last season.
Kreider is coming off a 50-point season and has shown he still has plenty left in the tank, even if his overall numbers have trended down from his peak years with the New York Rangers. It begs the question of whether the Detroit Red Wings should consider making a run at him, given how much the team could use his production, the veteran presence he'd bring to a young locker room, and the boost he could provide to a club still trying to end the NHL's longest active playoff drought.
There is a real caveat here is Detroit doesn't currently have a general manager, and by the time the search wraps up, Kreider may already be off the board. There's also the matter of what Kreider himself wants.
He's never won a Stanley Cup, and after leaving a playoff-caliber roster in Anaheim, he may prefer to chase a ring with a more established contender rather than help rebuild one. Friedman has reported that Kreider, a Boxford, Massachusetts, native who spent his first 13 NHL seasons with the Rangers, wants to head back East to be closer to family, and he won't report to training camp if claimed by a team he doesn't want to play for.
The Boston Bruins have emerged as the perceived frontrunner given his ties to the area and his time at Boston College, with the Rangers and a handful of other Eastern Conference clubs also mentioned as possibilities.
Still, if Detroit can move quickly once a GM is in place, adding a former 50-goal scorer like Kreider could be a worthwhile swing for a team looking for difference-makers, potentially even slotting him into a top-six role.
It's an unlikely outcome given his stated preference to stay East, but the NHL has a way of producing surprises, and with Anaheim's cap crunch forcing its hand, a proven goal-scorer like Kreider landing in Detroit's lap isn't entirely out of the question.
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Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert throws against Tigers during the first inning of ALDS Game 3 at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
It’s a matinee rubber match today, as the Mariners hope to take a series win against the Texas Rangers.
Lineups:
JP Crawford hits leadoff this afternoon, while Gilbert takes the mound. Gilbert has a career record of 5-4 in 19 appearances against Texas, with an ERA of 3.02 and 113 strikeouts. He faces his Stetson hero in Jacob deGrom.
No Michael Arroyo in the lineup today, but don’t be surprised to see him pinch hit at some point this game (maybe for Montes) if a lefty comes in. Dan Wilson said pregame that he expects Arroyo to get some starts moving forward, as the team is slated to face a passel of lefties on this road trip. Arroyo might step in for the lefty Cole Young at second, but he’s also been taking reps in the outfield with coach Eric Young Jr.
Side note: shoutout to the PR/graphics team for Seattle, this lineup design is so much more pleasing aesthetically than Texas’.
No news is good news? Is that how it works this year?
(Technically there is some news on Emerson Hancock, who threw a bullpen yesterday. You can determine if it’s good or not.)
In the wake of Muñoz’s 95 mph changeup (!!!!) yesterday, take a trip down memory lane to (checks calendar) one month ago, and give Kate’s excellent piece about Muñoz’s newest weapon of mass whiffstruction a read.
Today’s game information:
Game time: 1:10 PT
TV: Mariners TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryon Healy
Radio: ESPN 710 AM with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 28: Emerson Hancock #26 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, August 28, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mariners are hoping to get injured starter Emerson Hancock back this season, but it might not be in the role he’s played so far this year as one of the steadiest hands in a shaky rotation.
Hancock, who hadn’t thrown off a mound in 10 days, threw a bullpen yesterday at what he called “normal midweek intensity,” meaning not 100% effort, although he did throw his complete pitch mix. Even at the throttled-down effort, manager Dan Wilson said he was still feeling the effects of his adductor strain “occasionally.” Hancock, who said he felt “all right” after the session, said the issue is with his landing leg or plant leg; as he strides down the mound with his left leg, that’s where he can feel the pain in his adductor, which is the muscle group that runs along the inner thigh. But he doesn’t feel the pain every time, and although he says he’s feeling better and progressing, occasionally the pain still crops up.
“I don’t know what it’s going to feel like. When you’re throwing, when you’re talking about landing leg, you don’t really know what it’s going to do when you put all that force on it.”
“It’s a day-to-day thing,” said Hancock. “So we’ll just see how we feel tomorrow, and try to do everything we can to keep building this thing up, and hopefully get a chance to come back and pitch.”
“I think everything we’ve done up to this point has been very very productive…But I have to make sure that I’m also putting our position in a good position to win, as well. So we’re just continuing to work towards that.”
Hancock, who has been on the IL since August 29, would be eligible to return on September 13, in time for the series finale against the Athletics. But he needs at least one more bullpen session before he could return, and then will need to build back after sitting out for two weeks. Manager Dan Wilson didn’t discount the possibility of a move to the bullpen for Hancock for the remainder of the season, which would both get him back to the field more quickly and limit his innings and therefore the stress on his sore muscle.
“Anything’s possible,” said Wilson. “We’re making sure that he’s healthy first for sure, and then we’ll look at understanding how to plug him in and how to get him back, either into the rotation or in a different role. But we’ve got to get him healthy first.”
For his part, Hancock, the ultimate team player, is obviously disappointed to have landed on the IL after such a breakout season, but is staying focused on what he can do to help out the team in these last few games.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about me. There’s been some good and there’s been some bad, just personally. I love competing and I love being with our team, but also, as you’re working through the rehab process, you have to make sure that you’re in a good position to give your team the best chance to win. That’s the focus. So every day from here on out, it’s like, how can we be able to get to that point?”
Ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, NHL.com has released its top 26 prospects list. As expected, 2026 first overall pick Gavin McKenna took the top spot, followed by Porter Martone and Anton Frondell. The list also featured one Vancouver Canucks prospect, with Caleb Malhotra being ranked 22nd overall.
Malhotra was selected third overall by Vancouver during the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old had an OHL campaign to remember, recording 84 points during the regular season before adding 26 points in 15 playoff games. Malhotra is headed to the NCAA this year, where he will play for Boston University.
NHL.com's Top Prospects For The 2026-27 Season:
Gavin McKenna
Porter Matrone
Anton Frondell
Ivar Stenberg
James Hagens
Cole Hutson
Tij Iginla
Michael Hage
Caleb Desnoyers
Chase Reid
Konsta Helenius
Viggo Björck
Carson Carels
Ilya Protas
Roger McQueen
Victor Eklund
Alberts Šmits
Carter Yakemchuk
Brady Martin
David Reinbacher
Anton Silayev
Caleb Malhotra
Roman Kantserov
Jacob Fowler
Keaton Verhoeff
Trey Augustine
Caleb Malhotra at Vancouver Canucks Development Camp (Photo Credit: Kaja Antic/The Hockey News)
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Walker Kessler: The big man the Lakers coveted for years and were finally able to make their marquee addition via a sign-and-trade with the Jazz, and inking Kessler to a four-year, $130 contract.
Quentin Grimes: The versatile, two-way guard the Lakers signed to a four-year, $60 million deal, and is expected to be a Day 1 starter after bouncing around the NBA (the Lakers are his fourth team in 2 ½ years) over the last couple of years.
The Lakers signed Sandro Mamukelashvili to a four-year, $52 million contract. Getty Images
Austin Reaves: The Lakers’ homegrown star whose story from undrafted–to-All-Star caliber player over the last five years has been well-documented, earning him a four-year, $180 million deal.
And Sandro Mamukelashvili: The four-year, $52 million signee who’ll be the biggest swing factor for whether the Lakers’ offseason moves were a success.
Mamukelashvili, who’s entering his sixth season in the league aftr being the No. 54 pick out of Seton Hall in the 2021 draft, was relatively unproven through his first few seasons in the league.
The combination of his size (6-foot-9, 240 pounds) and skillset (versatile offensive connector) has made him an intriguing player.
But playing time opportunities didn’t come by easily, with Mamukelashvili averaging fewer than 16 minutes per game in each of his first four seasons in the league with the Bucks and Spurs.
Mamukelashvili’s final 18 games of the 2024-25 season with the Spurs, in which he averaged 10.4 points (49.3% shooting, 37.2% on 3-pointers), 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.4 minutes per game, opened up a sixth man role opportunity for him with the Raptors.
He seized the opportunity, putting together a career year that led to his long-term, lucrative deal with the Lakers: Mamukelashvili’s scoring average (11.2 points), rebounding (4.9 rebounds), assists (1.9), field goal percentage (52.3%) and minutes per game (21.9) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks.
Mamukelashvili is expected to bring size, physicality and an ability to stretch the floor, which should pair well with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Getty Images
Mamukelashvili finally showcased the skills and offensive versatility that every team in the NBA covets from a frontcourt role player:
Shooting.
Passing.
Keeping the play moving.
Being able to play off of primary and secondary ball handlers as a connector within the offense.
It all may sound simple, but those were the type of skills the Lakers were coveting entering the offseason.
“We gotta be better [at] being able to dribble, pass and shoot,” Coach JJ Redick said in May. “That sounds simple, but that’s just the reality.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili will provide a boost to the Lakers’ transition offense. NBAE via Getty Images
The reality is that Mamukelashvili will help in each of those areas in a more well-rounded way compared to former Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, or even other options who were available in free agency.
And because he’s a credible center option in small-ball lineups, Mamukelashvili opens up opportunities for the Lakers to play bigger forwards who aren’t shooting threats (Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero) but can help cover for him on the less glamorous end of the floor.
Does Mamukelashvili come with defensive concerns? Absolutely. He isn’t a strong perimeter or interior defender.
But he can also change the rhythm of the Lakers’ offense, especially in transition or when Luka Doncic isn’t on the floor.
And with the Lakers committing less than 8% of their cap space to Mamukelashvili over the next three years, his upside is worth taking a gamble on.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 25: Jacob Degrom #48 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on August 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 15: The Bullpen phone in the dugout before the MLB baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 15, 2026 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I’ve seen a number of comments on social media recently, saying things like the D-backs have the best bullpen in the majors, or that this is the best bullpen in franchise history. However, if you look at the raw metrics, there’s not much evidence to support either statement. We’ve talked (a lot!) before about Mike Hazen’s issues with regard to building bullpens. Most recently, just after Opening Day this season, when our relievers had an ERA of 9.00. It looked like this was going to be another in a long series of bullpen disasters. After all, from 2017-2025, the team’s relievers ranked 24th for ERA, 27th for xERA, 25th for FIP and dead last for fWAR.
And those figures include a largely-inherited 2017 bullpen which was above average, ranking 5th by ERA. Since then? Well, 2017 was the last time our bullpen ranked in the top half by fWAR. The chart below shows where the team’s relievers have ranked in those metrics each year, since Mike Hazen took over. It comes from my end-of-season review last November, after a campaign where the team tied a franchise high with 28 blown saves. It probably would have been worst still, save for the unexpected resurrection of Shelby Miller, who went from non-roster invitee in spring training, to everyday closer by May. Anyway, here’s the graph.
Dismal, across the board. Now, to 2026. There’s no denying, the D-backs’ bullpen has been better this year. Specifically, here are their rankings for those four metrics, going into yesterday’s series finale in Kansas City (as are all numbers quoted in this article): ERA 15th; FIP 14th; xFIP 16th; fWAR 14th. Now, it’s a clear improvement, considering the team hasn’t been in the top half of MLB for any of those figures since 2019. But they’re all relentlessly middle-of-the-pack. Not “best in baseball” level, and nowhere near “best in franchise history” level. For the latter, I’d personally go with the 2012 bullpen, who had a 3.28 ERA, but will hear arguments for 2003.
So, why are fans so deliriously happy with the 2026 bullpen – arguably, above what it merits. I think there’s a few reasons, and there are some metrics where the bullpen has performed extraordinarily well. But to start with perception. It’s partly that the bullpen has, as documented above, been so utterly terrible in the 2020s. Last winter, I wrote, tongue in cheek, how it’s “beginning to feel like I’m in a toxic relationship with the D-backs bullpen.” And in one of those, you’ll latch onto any positive signs, believing them to be more important than they are. Compared to what we’ve been through, simple mediocrity is a huge improvement. Our relievers have just stopped punching us in the gut as often. Yay. 🙂
Another factor, is the sharp difference between the A- and B-bullpens. The good guys have been very good. We have four relievers – Brandyn Garcia, Juan Morillo, Jonathan Loaisiga and Taylor Clarke – who have thrown 40+ innings with an ERA below 2.50. No other team has that many. The Padres are the only side with more than two, and fully half the league have had nobody in that category for their bullpen this season. Arizona’s overall figures are hurt by the tail. They’ve used ten genuine relievers with an ERA worse than 4.91 this year – I pick that figure, as it’s Ildemaro Vargas’s 2026 ERA. Those ten have combined for 121.1 IP at an ERA of 7.21.
But the tip of the spear has been good – and, unlike the rest of the roster, generally healthy. I’d call this testament to a great job done by Torey Lovullo, in conjunction with the information provided to him by the front office, to avoid over-taxing any one arm. We have four relievers (Clarke, Morillo, Loaisiga and Kevin Ginkel) who are all over sixty appearances and on pace for sixty-five plus this year. The Blue Jays are the only other team currently to have four relievers at over sixty games. The D-backs have never had four pitchers appear 65 times in a season. It feels as if adjustments were made after last year, where we saw the seasons of our three main closers, all end in elbow surgery.
This year’s bullpen has also been great when needed. Here’s the stat which shows this most. They are 66-0 when leading after eight innings, the only perfect score in the National League. Say what you like about Paul Sewald – now up to nine scoreless appearances for Toronto, incidentally – but he got the job done when given a lead. If the team can get through these final couple of weeks without losing that unblemished record, it’ll be the first time Arizona has done so since 2011, when they were 84-0 [That 2003 squad I mentioned above were also perfect when leading after eight]
Now, there have still been blown saves, as with any relief corps. But only seventeen, a large improvement on 2025’s record number. And the team still won the game most of the time (nine of the seventeen). As we saw on Tuesday in Kansas City when both Morillo and Blake Walston were charged with a blown save, nobody really cares much if you prevails in the end. Since June 21, there has been just one blown save by Arizona which led to a loss: Loaisiga against the Pirates on July 27. It’s hard to get annoyed with a segment of the team that has done very little to cost the team games in the second half.
But perhaps the number which does most to explain the positive perception of the D-backs bullpen, is Win Probability. They currently sit, for the year as a whole, at +818%, the second-best figure in baseball behind the Braves (a startling +1088%). That’s the highest figure in Arizona since 2007’s +913%, and with 16 games left, they still have a shot at chasing that down. Put simply, this year’s model has had a hugely positive impact on the team’s chances. It’s the biggest bullpen turnaround in franchise history, already representing an improvement of more than a dozen wins compared to last year, when they ended the season at -404%.
There will be significant work for Hazen this winter, with three of those “core four”, Ginkel, Loaisiga and Clarke, becoming free agents. But in Morillo, Garcia and Justin Martinez, the foundations are there for the longer term. Has Hazen finally cracked the “secret sauce” of building a bullpen on a budget? Or was this just a year where the ebb and flow of reliever volatility, finally worked in his favor? We’ll see next season. If it’s the latter, let’s just hope that volatility can be staved off for a few more weeks!
Jonathan Kuminga turned down more guaranteed money from the Lakers — nearly twice as much per year — and elsewhere to come to Minnesota on a two-year, $13 million contract that could have him back on the free agent market next summer. Kuminga is betting on himself. Again.
"Just looking back, I think I'll say it's one of the best decisions I made," Kuminga said of coming to Minnesota. "Just looking at the roster, looking at the young group of guys they have, and just seeing what they've done in the past and things that they're trying to accomplish going forward."
Kuminga also said all the right things about fitting into a role with this team, where he often won't have the ball in his hands because that role falls more to Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. Fitting into a role has not been Kuminga's strength (just ask Steve Kerr), but he sees a fit.
"I think my game, my mentality, pretty much everything fit well with the group. It don't matter what it is," Kuminga said. "They could put me wherever: running the floor, screen, defend, play fast, whatever it is. I feel like I could come in, be one of the best defenders."
Kuminga talked about how Edwards called him nearly every single day to recruit him. He also talked about his excitement of playing with LaMelo.
"I was watching him work out yesterday. I was watching him doing certain things, and just the way he passed the ball — it's incredible," Kuminga said. "I mean, I play with so many point guards in my career, but I never played with somebody that could pass as good as LaMelo, so I think I'm looking forward to it."
Kuminga talked a lot about defense — Edwards' focus on that was one of the draws for Kuminga, according to reports — and specifically the freedom he will have knowing Rudy Gobert is behind him.
"I could be myself on defense, I will be more aggressive because I know I have a shot blocker, and he's done it so many times," Kuminga said.
Tim Connelly and the Minnesota decision makers took a big gamble this offseason, moving on from Julius Randle, Naz Reid and a style of play that had been successful — but seemed to run into a wall — to bring in LaMelo, Kuminga, and to radically reshape the style of play. It's going to take coach Chris Finch a little time to find the rotations and systems that work, but by the holidays we should have a better sense of just how good this team will be.
Two months after the Philadelphia Flyers tendered an aggressive $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson, the Anaheim Ducks are beginning to pay the price for matching the blockbuster contract.
Former Flyers draft pick Cutter Gauthier, now a 40-goal-scorer just two years into his NHL career, is still in need of a new contract from the Ducks and remains an RFA.
After matching the Carlsson offer sheet and making a handful of auxiliary signings, the Ducks had just $9 million in cap space to reach an agreement with Gauthier, and as we now know, that was never going to happen.
As a result, Anaheim was forced to consider gutting their roster depth and salary dump players to free up space for Gauthier, and again, no takers were found.
So, on Wednesday, veteran winger Chris Kreider was placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination, and on Thursday, Kreider cleared waivers, making him an unrestricted free agent and freeing up $6.5 million in cap space for the Ducks.
Kreider, 35, was in the last year of his contract anyway, but because the Flyers put the Ducks in such a bind with the Carlsson offer sheet, Anaheim loses a winger with 958 regular season games of experience, and a player who scored 22 goals and 50 points for their club last year.
Replacing Kreider and his 22 goals and 50 points won't be an easy task for the Ducks either, as Troy Terry will miss the start of the season due to injury, and other depth options include Frank Vatrano, who scored five goals and nine points in 50 games last year; and newcomer A.J. Greer, a career fourth-liner who exploded for 17 goals and 32 points last year after having previously never scored more than six goals and 17 points in a single season.
That leaves a lot of heavy lifting for Carlsson, who wouldn't have to do so on the Flyers, Gauthier, and Beckett Sennecke. Their only support offensively will come from Alex Killorn, Mikael Granlund, Vatrano, Greer, Ryan Poehling, Nathan Gaucher, Jeff Malott, Nikita Nesterenko, and Tim Washe.
Of course, it goes almost without saying that the motivation behind all of this was the Flyers simply trying to pull a lever that was available to them to try and acquire a young No. 1 center.
It didn't work out for them, clearly, but it also isn't working out too well for the Ducks right now. After losing Kreider for free, they have $15.5 million to re-sign Gauthier, and there's no telling if that will even be enough to get it done.
