MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 7: A detail view of hats in the Minnesota Twins dugout against the Cleveland Guardians during the second inning of the game at Target Field on July 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins’ owner called season ticketholders in the offseason basically begging for them to stick around. Their fans had become so disillusioned with their team losing that the negativity had started to get to Tom Pohlad. And early in the season, he had a public incident with a fan wearing a SELL THE TEAM hat. Are billionaires sensitive? Between this and Arte Moreno selling the Angels because he got big emotions from fans demanding he sell the team, too, it’s enough to make you wonder where the Giants would be if they had fewer owners.
But the Twins, who had finished 70-92 this season, started off the year in surprisingly great fashion, to the point that by the end of July, they were 56-55 and just 3 games out of the AL Central lead.
They’ve gone 17-28 since.
So, it’s another failed season for the Twins. Giants fans can relate. Well, not really. The Twins have had five winning seasons and four playoff appearances in the past decade. The Giants have had 1 and 1. As of this writing, the two teams are 12th and 13th in wins over the last 10 years… but with a significant split.
Minnesota: 763-749
San Francisco: 735-777
In this 45-game that spiraled them out of the playoffs, the pitching has been mediocre but the offense has fallen to below league average (99 wRC+). They’ve lost Byron Buxton to injury once again. Taj Bradley has emerged to mitigate the pre-season loss of Pablo Lopez, but Joe Ryan’s prime seems to have been betrayed by their small window of contention. Their defense has been atrocious: -38.4 Defensive Runs Above Average, 25th in MLB. Don’t get too smug, though. The Giant are 23rd (-34.5). They’re the team the Giants could become if all the prospect excitement fails to pan out and the front office’s grand design busts.
On the other hand, the Giants have sort of gone through this already. Their last rebuild was supposed to usher in a window of contention. It did, but for, like, two seasons (2020 & 2021), and during that time, the San Diego Padres (and, to a lesser extent, the Arizona Diamondbacks) zoomed past them. The Twins were supposed to be NL Central contenders, challenging the Dodgers of that division (the Guardians), only to have the Tigers and now the White Sox (!) zoom past them.
Anyway, the Twins have been bad on the road this year (33-45) while the Giants have been okay (36-39); however, they’ve lost 7 of 9 overall. The roster is a shambles. Bryce Eldridge is in the concussion protocol. It’s all very gloomy here in the final week of the season. Then again, that’s been the status quo for six months.
Series Overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (64-92) vs. Minnesota Twins (73-83) Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California When: Monday & Tuesday at 6:45pm PT, Wednesday at 12:45pm PT National broadcasts: None
Projected starters Monday: Blade Tidwell (RHP 1-2, 4.56 ERA) vs. Zebby Matthews (RHP 9-10, 4.74 ERA) Tuesday: Anthony Molina (RHP 3-1, 4.18 ERA) vs. Taj Bradley (RHP 11-6, 3.81 ERA) Wednesday: Cesar Perdomo (LHP 0-1, 3.72 ERA) vs. TBD
Prediction time
Roger Clemens’ son, Kody, has 26 home runs on the season. He’s hit 14 of those on the road. With an outside shot at getting to 30 home runs, I’ll predict that this 30-year old will whack at least one homer in the series. Meanwhile, Jung Hoo Lee is 6 extra base hits away from matching last year’s season total (51). He hit 31 doubles last and has hit 31 this year, too. I predict he’ll pickup a few in this series giving faint hope that he can match last year’s total by having a nice final series when the Giants host the Dodgers.
After Saint-Boniface won the Kraft Hockeyville contest, the NHL set up camp in Trois-Rivières on Monday, where the Montreal Canadiens will face the Ottawa Senators at 7:00 PM. While there was some talk that the lineups may not be up to par because of the new CBA rules, which provide that veterans who have played over 100 games of professional hockey cannot play more than two exhibition games, it has now been clarified that today’s festivities do not count as a regular exhibition game but rather as a special NHL event.
At 8:00 AM, the first group of Sens arrived at the Colisee Videtron parking lot, and a significant crowd was already assembled to see who had made the trip from Ottawa. Tim Stutzle, William Eklund, Samuel Blais, Drake Batherson, Nick Cousins, Dylan Cozens, Andre Burakovsky, and Jake Sanderson all made the trip. The Sens greeted the fans when they arrived, but nearly the entire crowd wore some sort of Canadiens merch, and it was clear that Ottawa was the appetizer before the main course.
The Habs were scheduled to arrive around 9:00 AM, but they didn't get there until 9:45; maybe they wanted to be fashionably late, or maybe to keep fans from going into the building to cheer the Senators on during their morning skate. Whatever the reason, though, the wait was worth it. Captain Nick Suzuki followed coach Martin St-Louis out of the bus along with Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, Samuel Montembeault, Jakub Dobes, Zach Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, the Xhekaj brothers, David Reinbacher, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson, Alex Newhook, Jayden Struble, Kirby Dach, Adam Engstrom, Brett Berard and Sasha Pastujov.
While the lines and pairings haven’t been released yet, the Canadiens will ice a star-studded lineup tonight. Beyond the established players, Trois-Rivières fans will get a look at Reinbacher, who had a statement first game Saturday night and clearly wants to make the team this season. Up front, they’ll see the “young Xhekaj.” Florian also had a solid game in Toronto, and while it would be shocking to see him get a spot in the lineup this season, there are just too many players on NHL contracts. He plays the kind of game fans love to watch: hard-hitting, just like his brother.
The 4,390-seat arena is sure to be sold out tonight, and the fans should be treated to a great time.
Tampa, FL: New York Yankees' Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner speak during a press conference regarding changes to the Yankees facial hair policy during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 21, 2025. (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
Multiple reports confirm that the Yankees are finalizing a $2.6 billion deal with private equity firm Apollo Global Management to sell up to a 16-percent stake in the franchise. The firm will have the Yankees’ largest ownership percentage, only behind the Steinbrenner family, once the deal goes through.
The deal involves both a debt and private equity investment, and incoming funding is expected to refinance existing obligations and fund future expansion projects. This move would mark Apollo’s largest capital injection into the US sports market to date, according to the New York Post. The news of the firm’s interest in acquiring a stake in the Yankees dates back to July and more specifics were revealed last month.
It also allows the Yankees’ value to surpass that of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who’ve recently dominated the market when it comes to giving out larger contracts. The club most notably signed MLB star Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal and, more recently, signed Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract that included a $64 million signing bonus with $30 million deferred.
The additional ownership stake can result in a variety of outcomes, but it could eventually work out well for the Yankees as they look to add more talent in the coming years. Details of the deal have yet to be confirmed, but it comes at a time when private equity is gaining more of a spotlight in the sports world, with firms engaging in hefty investments in a variety of teams and leagues in hopes of bolstering profits.
The Yankees aren’t a stranger to the private equity game that continues to raise concerns throughout the sports world. Yankees president Randy Levine joined the executive board of AC Milan nearly five months after the New York franchise engaged in a minority stake in the club and RedBird Capital Partners acquired a $1.3 billion controlling interest.
Notably, Major League Baseball regulations have a 15-percent cap in place for private equity ownership per fund, so it’s unclear how the logistics of this will all work considering the report of a 16-percent stake for Apollo. With this deal expected to come through, I’d anticipate more firms will soon follow with investments in Major League clubs that will continue to raise more questions.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Quentin Grimes.
If it wasn’t clear already, the Lakers’ moves this offseason made it clear that they were heading in a new direction.
This iteration of the team, both in the present and future, will be built around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. And the moves made in the summer reflected that.
Outside of Walker Kessler, perhaps the most notable and important addition the Lakers made in the offseason was Quentin Grimes.
The 26-year-old quickly signed a 4-year, $60 million deal with Los Angeles at the start of free agency, signaling the team’s interest in the guard now and later.
Although all but confirmed, Grimes will likely slot into a critical spot next to Dončić and Reaves in the starting lineup. That designation matters and, given the results, could have ramifications for years to come.
What is his best-case scenario?
After already bouncing around the league during his young career, Grimes’ best-case scenario is playing well enough to call Los Angeles his long-term home.
In order to do that, he will have to continue to do what has made him a tantalizing talent as well has fine-tuning his game within his new ecosystem.
There is no debating that Grimes can score. Capable of filling it up at all three levels, he has the tools to capitalize on compromised defenses that load up on Dončić and Reaves in exciting ways.
That will have to begin, however, with embracing and succeeding in a more streamlined role.
While his usage, attempts and touch time may all go down, they will hopefully do so in favor of improved efficiency and shot quality.
For example, Grimes shot a pedestrian 34% from three last season when removing garbage time, heaves, etc.
On the surface, this may appear like a potential fit issue. Yet, when zooming in, there may be alterations the Lakers are uniquely suited to make that could unlock better results.
When categorizing his 3-point attempts, Grimes converted 36.6% of his catch and shoot chances compared to just 28.8% of his pull-ups last season according to NBA tracking data.
Couple this with the fact that he actually took more tightly contested threes (115) than wide-open ones (98) with the Sixers. That shouldn’t be the case with the Lakers.
If his short experience playing with Dončić in the past is any indication, improvements are a safe assumption.
When Grimes shared the floor with Dončić in Dallas, his corner 3-ball rate went up 6% (notable because he has shot over 41% from the corners four times in his five seasons as a professional) and had his best shooting year overall (41%) from deep before both were ultimately traded.
Grimes proving he can complement Dončić and Reaves will go a long way for current and future success.
One doesn’t have to squint to see how much firepower the offense can have if the talents involved click. But their ceiling may be dependent on Grimes finding the right balance of when to cook and when to let others set his plate.
What is his worst-case scenario?
While there is an outcome that sees Grimes struggle to fit into a tertiary or even fourth option role, the offensive results should be the side of the floor with more optimism.
If Kessler has the most important defensive responsibility, then Grimes may be second in that pecking order.
Sidled between the likes of Dončić and Reaves in the starting lineup, it likely will fall on Grimes’ shoulders to take on the opposing team’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis.
Even if Grimes has shown flashes of being a capable individual defender in the past, that’s a tall task for a player who has mostly graded out as an average to slightly above defender at best in his career.
That of course could change in Los Angeles. But until he proves otherwise, his defensive acumen could be what ultimately holds him back from being the long-term answer in the starting lineup.
Beyond the defense, there should also simply be skepticism about how he performs in what will be his biggest role yet.
He’s never been a standout in terms of impact data as there has only been one season in his career where his team has performed better when he was on the floor compared to off.
Context matters for any catch all stat. But it is worth questioning why he hasn’t stuck anywhere despite his unquestionable talent.
If that trend continues with the Lakers, then that could send them back to the drawing board in search of another piece to add to their core.
What is his most likely role on the team?
Given the expectations needed from him on both sides of the ball, it’s probably unfair for to think Grimes to check every box. And that ultimately may be okay.
His contract, which averages out to essentially mid-level money, could still turn out to be fair value even if his role fluctuates from decent starter to good bench player.
Grimes won’t likely be the caliber of defender the team needs, but there is genuine upside to offensive impact if he can check channel his erraticism into more organized and selective aggression.
He may not be the long-term answer, but he could still be a long-term piece. And for a team still developing their new identity, that is a more than acceptable outcome.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.
On this day 51 years ago, Deron Johnson’s disappointing White Sox career ended. | Chicago White Sox
1901 The White Sox won the first major-league American League pennant despite losing to the Philadelphia A’s, 10-4. The Sox would end up winning the pennant by five games over the Boston Americans, with a record of 83-53. Interestingly, this loss was the start of a five-game losing streak that took the White Sox nearly to the end of the season — a streak that included a sweep at Boston (too late, Americans).
Unfortunately, the World Series didn’t start until 1903, so an AL pennant was the best that the Sox could do.
However, the White Sox did play a postgame series, against the “AL All-Stars” in what was dubbed the “All-American Series,” splitting the four-game set. In a telling statistic for an upstart team and league in its first season in the majors, the White Sox nearly doubled the attendance of the established Orphans (Cubs), 354,350-205,071.
The White Sox had a very balanced lineup, led by outfielders Billy Hoy and Fielder Jones, and scored the most runs in the league. The team relied primarily on speed, as Frank Isbell, Sam Mertes and Jonesfinished 1–2–3 in the AL in stolen bases, swiping 136 among them. The pitching staff was anchored by player-manager Clark Griffith, who went 24–7 with a 2.67 ERA.
1917 The White Sox clinched their third pennant, beating the Red Sox, 2-1 in 10 innings behind Red Faber.Shano Collins singled after Ray Schalk led off the top of the 10th with a double, providing the eventual game-winner. The final outs came when pinch-hitter Babe Ruth rapped into a double play in the bottom of the 10th.
The White Sox would outdistance Boston by eight games in 1917, with a mark of 100-54, and then defeat the New York Giants four games to two in the World Series.
The 100 wins in a season have never been equaled in team history — and that includes, of course, 162-game seasons beginning in 1961. The Sox offense led the league in runs scored that season while the pitching staff, led by Eddie Cicotte, had a season ERA of 2.16
1955 Frank “Trader” Lane, one of the best GMs in team history, resigned. During his seven-season tenure, Lane made 241 trades involving 353 players. He was one of the architects of the club that would win the 1959 American League pennant. Among the players Lane acquired for the Sox were Minnie Miñoso, Nellie Fox, Dick Donovan, Jim Rivera, Billy Pierce, Chico Carrasquel and Sherm Lollar.
1960 For just the second time among White Sox players, and eighth overall, there was a home run hit over the Comiskey Park roof. In a 7-2 victory over the Kansas City A’s, Minnie Miñoso clobbered a two-out, two-run homer to left that opened scoring.
Just seven White Sox homers and 21 total went over the roof in the 72 years of Comiskey Park history before home plate was moved forward, before the 1983 season.
1970 For the first time in 69seasons, the White Sox finally had a 30-home run man. Bill Melton got an upper-deck shot off of Kansas City’s Aurelio Monteagudo (who was Melton’s teammate on the Sox the year before) to set the record for the most White Sox home runs in a season.
That same day, Luis Aparicio got his final hit in a Sox uniform.He had 1,576 of them for the White Sox. Just 672 fans were on hand to see the doubleheader at Comiskey Park, as the White Sox were in the process of setting their all-time losses mark.
1975 The White Sox traded Deron Johnson to the Red Sox in a post-deadline waiver deal, in exchange for a player to be named later. The slugger had a poor season in Chicago after being signed as a free agent for 1975, but found an extra gear in his few games for Boston, hitting a key homer down the stretch while going 3-for-4 in his Bosox debut on September 22 and 6-for-10 in his three games overall.
The White Sox acquired afterthought prospect Chuck Erickson on November 7 to complete the deal, a catcher who would play just 18 games in Triple-A in 1976 before ending his playing career.
1998 Jim Abbott’s amazing comeback with the White Sox continued, as he threw six innings of a 7-1 win over Minnesota to improve to 4-0.
It was Abbott’s second stint on the South Side, the first coming in 1995, where he compiled 2.6 rWAR in 17 starts before being dealt at the trade deadline to the Angels. After re-signing with the Angels and suffering an awful 1996 (2-18, 7.48 ERA), Abbott was flushed out of the majors and took a year off.
In 1998, the White Sox gave the southpaw another shot, and he swallowed his pride and made 18 starts across all four minors levels, from Low-A up to Triple-A. He was called up to the majors during roster expansion, making his season debut with the White Sox on September 5. He won all five of his starts for Chicago, racking up a 4.55 ERA and 4.31 FIP.
He signed with Milwaukee in the offseason and would play one more year in the majors, before retiring with a career 19.6 WAR and 87 wins.
2015 Jeff Samardzija was acquired from the A’s with the hope that the Chicago native (who grew up a White Sox fan) could be the difference in getting the team to the postseason. His campaign, though, was something to forget; he struggled all year, particularly in the first inning of games, and after the trade deadline.
On this day, however, he pitched the finest game in his career; in the opener of a doubleheader against the Tigers, he tossed a one-hitter in a 2-0 shutout. The only hit he allowed was a bloop single off the bat of Victor Martinez in the fifth inning. Samardzija struck out six and only faced one hitter over the minimum. Erik Johnson won the nightcap, completing a White Sox sweep.
2024 A 6-2 loss at San Diego gave the White Sox 119 losses, tying them with the 2003 Detroit Tigers with an AL most-ever 119 defeats. Chris Flexen, quite naturally, took the defeat to fall to 2-15 (although he would win one more, in a matter of days).
The White Sox remained a season-high 53 1/2 games out of first place.
In March, Tottenham, fearing possible relegation, spent big to bring in Roberto De Zerbi, who will probably never go into a negotiation with a stronger hand. There was obvious improvement and they stayed up on the final day of the season. Since then, Spurs have spent a net £175m ($234m) on improving the squad. The message seemed clear: the fiscal caution of the Daniel Levy era was over and this was a club willing to spend. Yet Spurs go into the first international break bottom of the Premier League table.
To an extent, the issue is confidence. On the opening weekend at Brentford, with a weird mishmash of a side, a team that was clearly undercooked, they were hammered 3-0 by much better-prepared opponents. That was not hugely surprising given how sensible Brentford’s transfer dealing had been and how early they had done it. More worrying was what happened the following week as Spurs, starting well before fading, lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle.
MARCH 1985: Infielder Cecil Fielder #23 of the Toronto Blue Jays plays first base during a game. Fielder played for the Blue Jays from 1985-88. (Photo by Bernstein Associates/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have a few birthdays today.
Cecil Fielder turns 63rd today.
Is Prince sending him a card? I’ve read that they aren’t exactly close, and there are some troubles because of Cecil’s treatment of Prince’s mother. Cecil was a similar player to Prince, both big slugger types. Prince was the better player, but Cecil wasn’t bad himself.
The Jays acquired Cecil in a trade with the Royals for Leon Roberts, but unfortunately for Cecil, he came up around the same time as Fred McGriff, and Fred was the better player. The Jays also had many DH types, so Cecil got in a few games in 85 and 86 and then was the platoon DH in 87 and 88.
He had his best year with the Jays in 1987, batting .269/.345/.560 in 175 at-bats over 82 games. He hit 14 home runs that season. Then in 1988, in about the same number of at-bats, he hit .230/.289/.431 with 9 homers. Seeing that he wasn’t going to get playing time with the Jays, Cecil signed with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan and played there for a year before signing as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.
He had his best seasons with the Tigers, hitting 284 home runs over the next seven seasons. 1990, his first season with the Tigers, he hit 51 home runs and came in second in the MVP vote. He also came in second the following season when he hit 44 homers.
Next, he went to the Yankees from Detroit, then the Angels and Cleveland for his last season at 34. Saying he was a big man doesn’t do him justice. He was pretty round, more or less the same build as Prince.
He was never a high-average hitter, topping out at .277 in 1990. His career average was .255, but when he did hit, he hit the ball a mile. He finished with 319 homers in his career. He would take a walk when offered one and had a decent on-base numbers, but his job was to drive in runs, and he did that well. He had five seasons of over 100 RBIs and, from 1990 to 1993, drove in 132, 133, 124, and 117.
For the Jays, well, he came up at the wrong time. He wasn’t the player Fred McGriff was, and his size and lack of conditioning didn’t endear him to the team. But the Tigers could overlook that and got a heck of a player for seven years.
It is Danny Cox’s 67th birthday today.
Danny came into the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing for them for the first six years of his career. He had a couple of terrific seasons as a starting pitcher for them, going 18-9 with a 2.88 ERA in 1985 and then 12-13 with a 2.90 ERA in 1986, but he threw 461 innings between the two seasons. Unsurprisingly, that number of innings led to elbow troubles later. As a result, he ended up missing the entire 1989 and 1990 seasons. He returned to the majors in 1991 with the Phillies but wasn’t the same pitcher he had been before his arm troubles.
The Jays signed him as a free agent and made him a reliever in 1993. In our second World Series season, Danny was an essential part of our bullpen, going 7-6 with a 3.12 ERA in 44 games. He pitched 5 shutout innings in our ALCS win over the White Sox. He did have a rough outing in Game 6 of the World Series against the Phillies, being part of a 5-run Phillies 7th inning that put the Phillies up 6-5. But that just set things up for Joe Carter to hit the biggest home run in Jays’ history, so we can forgive him.
Danny’s arm troubles reappeared the next two seasons, and he wasn’t as good. So 1995 was his last season in the majors. He has worked as a minor league manager and pitching coach after his retirement.
Happy Birthday, Danny.
Brian Tallet turns 49 today.
This one makes me feel old.
Tallet played in the majors for nine seasons. Well, parts of nine. Three or four of them were full seasons in the majors. Six of the nine seasons were with the Jays.
As a Blue Jay, he pitched in 215 games, with 31 starts. He had a 4.75 ERA.
We traded for Tallet in January 2006 from Cleveland for Bubbie Buzachero (an ‘80s baseball name, but unfortunately, he never made the majors; I’d love to hear Buck say his name).
In 2006 we used him as a lefty out of the bullpen. Manager John Gibbons didn’t use him as just a LOOGY. He pitched 2 innings or more in 10 games and more than an inning in 16 games. He was quite valuable, appearing in 44 games with a 3.81 ERA, including 3 wins and 4 holds. Gibby used him mostly in losing efforts.
He had much the same role in 2007, putting up a 3.47 ERA in 48 games. Again, pitching multiple innings was often used, mainly when we were behind. In 2008, he had a 2.88 ERA in 51 games.
He was the third or fourth lefty in our pen. We had B.J. Ryan, Scott Downs, and Jesse Carlson (a favourite of mine), so he rarely got into high-leverage spots.
In 2009 he started the season in the bullpen, but he was in the rotation by the end of April. We tried many guys in the rotation that year. Roy Halladay and Ricky Romero headed the rotation. Beyond those two, we had several pitchers with ERAs over 5 who made multiple starts. Tallet made 25 starts and 12 relief appearances. As a starter, he had a 5.41 ERA with a 7-8 record.
He was back in the pen the following year, pitching in 34 games, with 5 starts and a 5.32 ERA.
Brian became a free agent after the 2010 season and signed with the Cardinals. He played there for half a season and then came back to us in a multi-player trade. The big-name player coming to Toronto was Colby Rasmus, while those heading to St. Louis included Octavio Dotel, Edwin Jackson, Corey Patterson, and Marc Rzepczynski. The Cardinals were on their way to the playoffs and needed bullpen help. The Jays were on their way to a fourth-place finish and wanted a player with offensive upside. Tallet and another pitcher, P.J. Walters, were throw-ins to fill out our pitching staff.
The Jays released Tallet in September. He’d go to the Padres and Pirates but didn’t pitch in the majors again.
We think of him as an innings eater, but he was pretty good for his first three seasons with the team. We had a stacked bullpen, and he couldn’t work his way into a high leverage spot.
Happy Birthday, Brian.
Jeremy Jeffress turns 39 today.
Jeffress has played 11 seasons in the MLB. He’s had some good years (27 saves for the Brewers in 2016, and he had a 1.29 ERA in 73 appearances for the Brewers in 2018, and some less good seasons, where his excellent ‘stuff’ couldn’t overcome his inability to find the strike zone.
He was a Blue Jay for a short time. We picked him up before the 2013 season and DFAed him a few days into the 2014 season (the team DFAed him for Chad Jenkins, which, looking at their careers, was a huge mistake). He cleared waivers but chose free agency and did well for himself. The Jays gave up on him too quickly, but then I’m impressed by guys who can throw 100 mph.
He pitched in 13 games, with a 3.29 ERA, 13.2 innings, 16 hits, 8 walks, and 16 strikeouts.
Career Jeffress has a 3.08 ERA in 414 games. In 424.1 innings, he’s allowed 377 hits, 163 walks, and 370 strikeouts.
Before this season, he signed with the Nationals but was released before the season started.
We interviewed Jeremy back here, and we talked to his agent Joshua Kusnickhere. His agent has been a friend to the site.
For Colorado Avalanche fans, Sunday night offered a little bit of everything — established NHL regulars, intriguing prospects and perhaps a glimpse at what the next generation of the organization could eventually look like.
And while the veterans naturally command most of the attention, it was the kids who stole the show.
Beckett Hamilton, the 18-year-old third-round pick, scored in his preseason NHL debut. So did Taylor Makar, the younger brother of two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, giving both prospects a memorable first taste of preseason NHL action.
Gavin Brindley, who is at least a fringe contender for a spot on the opening-night roster, provided another highlight, finishing off a scintillating 2-on-1 rush after Nazem Kadri found him for one of the easiest backdoor tap-ins he may ever have.
Then there was Ilya Nabokov.
The highly touted goaltending prospect out of Russia made his North American debut and stopped 16 of 17 shots after taking over for Mackenzie Blackwood, who opened the game by stopping all seven shots he faced.
Colorado's youngest players repeatedly gave Avalanche fans something to watch and it certainly did not go unnoticed by head coach Jared Bednar.
Brindley, in particular, was impossible for Bednar to miss. The young forward immediately caught the Avalanche head coach's eye and remained one of Colorado's most noticeable players throughout the night.
"I noticed (Gavin Brindley) right away — the competitiveness, the speed of the game, his skating," Bednar said, via Avalanche beat reporter Jesse Montano. "He's quick all over the ice. He was relentless on pucks."
Those same qualities were evident in Makar, who Bednar grouped alongside Brindley after seeing both young forwards make an immediate impact.
"I put Taylor Makar in that same category," Bednar said. "Funny, they both end up scoring too because of the same type of thing — quickness, effort, competitiveness."
Bednar also singled out T.J. Hughes for his work on the power play, where the young forward has displayed impressive vision and timing to consistently create offensive opportunities, something he has showcased throughout optional skates and training camp.
"He kind of stood out, especially on the power play," Bednar said. "Smart, just moves it apart, you know, with great timing to the right guy, made a bunch of offensive plays."
Nabokov rounded out an impressive night for Colorado's young players, making several key saves after taking over in net and showing Bednar plenty to like in his first North American appearance.
"Nabakov was great in goal too," Bednar said. "No chance on the first one, makes a big save. The rebound comes to him after, like, a couple turnovers and an extended, tired group out there."
Blackwood, meanwhile, quietly did exactly what the Avalanche needed to open the game, stopping all seven shots he faced before the goaltending change.
"Blackwood was really good too," Bednar said. "For the first half, he wasn't tested that much, but made a couple huge saves right before he got, uh, before we made the switch."
The performance was particularly interesting considering where Colorado's young talent has landed in preseason prospect evaluations.
The Avalanche entered the season with one of the NHL's least-regarded prospect pools. Corey Pronman's pipeline rankings for The Athletic placed Colorado 32nd out of 32 teams, while Utah was ranked fifth by Daily Faceoff in its 2026-27 prospect pool rankings.
One preseason game obviously does not erase an organizational ranking, nor should it. But Sunday provided an encouraging glimpse at a group that has been questioned throughout the offseason.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 10 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #10.
Let's take a look.
Serge Aubin - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1994.
Aubin played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.
He left for Europe in 2006 and played in Switzerland and Germany until he retired in 2012.
He's currently the head coach for SC Bern of the Swiss National League.
Trevor Letowski - 2004-2006 - Drafted by Phoenix in 1996.
Played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.
He finished his career by playing two seasons in the KHL. He is currently an assistant coach for the Montréal Canadiens, where he's been since 2021.
Duvie Westcott - 2007-2008 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.
Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and power-play skills."
After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015.
Kris Russell - 2009-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005.
Russell played 288 games in Columbus and had 79 points. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues on November 11, 2011, in exchange for
Nikita Nikitin.
He went on to play 912 NHL games and total 254 points. After playing 6 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Russell retired in 2022.
Marián Gáborík - 2013-2014 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2000.
Gáborík played only 34 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. He was traded to the LA Kings on March 5, 2014, in exchange for Matt Frattin. He officially retired in 2021 after playing 1,035 career games.
One scout said of Gáborík, "One of the best skaters in the world, Gáborík is known for his explosive speed. He is a highly offensive winger and, thanks to good hands and an extremely sharp shot, an excellent finisher. On the downside, Gaborik doesn't always think team-first and has also had issues with commitment to defensive play."
Mark Letestu - 2013 - Undrafted out of Elk Point, Alberta.
Letestu was traded to Columbus by Pittsburgh for Columbus's 4th-round pick on November 8, 2011. He played in 255 games in two different stints with the CBJ, scoring 44 goals and totaling 102 points. He also played 64 games for the Cleveland Monsters during the 2018-19 season, where he scored 50 points. He would play his last NHL game on October 13th, 2019, for the Winnipeg Jets.
In 2021, he was hired as an Assistant Coach by the Monsters, where he served until 2025. In the Summer of 2025, he was hired by the AHL's Colorado Eagles to be their head coach. For this upcoming season, he has joined the Vegas Golden Knights as an asst. coach.
Jack Skille - 2015 - Drafted by Chicago in 2005.
Skille played 61 games for Columbus and had 12 points. On July 6, 2013, Skille was signed as a free agent by the CBJ, but the following summer, he left in free agency. On October 5, 2014, Skille was claimed off waivers by Columbus, where he would play in 45 games. He left Columbus again and would play a season in Colorado and a season in Vancouver.
In 2017, he left for Europe, where he played in Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. He retired in 2021 and went into coaching. He was the skills coach and the Director of Skills Development for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies franchise.
He's currently an asst. coach for the Schwenninger Wild Wings of the DEL.
Alexander Wennberg - 2017-2020 - Wennberg was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NHL Draft as the 14th overall draft pick.
Wennberg came to North America and made his NHL Debut in 2014. After having three decent seasons, including a 59-point year in 2016-17, Wennberg was signed to a six-year deal on September 1st, 2017.
Tom Wilson would seemingly derail Wennberg's career in the 2018 playoffs when he laid a devastating check on him. The next two seasons, Wennberg would only total 47 points. In October of 2020, the CBJ would buy Wennberg out, making him a free agent. The Jackets are finally about to make the final buyout payment to Wennberg this year.
In addition to playing with the Florida Panthers since leaving Columbus, He's played for the Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, and San Jose Sharks. After the 59-point season he had in 2016-17, Wennberg hadn't scored more than 38 points in a single season until last year's 55.
Jordan Schroeder - 2018 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2009.
Schroeder played 21 games as a Jacket and had two points. He left for Europe in 2019 and retired after playing in Sweden in 2025.
Dmitri Voronkov - 2024-2026 - Drafted by Columbus in 2019.
The big Russian forward played 211 games and has 113 points in his first three seasons.
He will be looking to add on to that this season if he can stay healthy. He was challenged to come into camp this year and be in better shape. All indications are that he did just that. He will be counted as one of the young players to take another big step this season to help the Jackets into the playoffs.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, September 19, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
A 3-3 week that felt like they lost every game is not exactly how I thought it would go. Playing the Mets in New York always felt daunting, especially if they knew they could damage the Phillies’ playoff hopes in any way they could, but splitting two games in Washington just can’t happen this time of year.
Three up
Alec Bohm – It’s striking how well Bohm has been doing with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break. Since July 14, Bohm has come to the plate 73 times with runners in scoring position. He has posted a 185 wRC+ in those situations, driving in 35 runs, which is tops among all players with at least 25 plate appearances with runners in scoring position. This week was another week where he seemed to continue piling up the RBI opportunities and delivering. This bodes well for the playoffs.
Luis Arraez – Listen, Arraez has been a disappointment since his trade from the Giants. There was an initial injection of energy when he arrived, which happened to coincide with the offense taking a new approach at the plate of patience, something he is not known for. The defense has not been this massive butcher show it was expected to be with all of the switching around of positions, but generally, he has not been that good. Yet he had a good week this week, hitting .300/.407/.450, bringing in five from the cleanup position. He’ll move on to yet another team once the season is over, but this week was at least one example of why the team brought him in in the first place.
Jose Urquidy – This will likely be the last time Urquidy’s name is mentioned on these here pages. There will be an end of season report card of course, but as far as game action is concerned, there won’t be much more to tell. However, signed off the street and thrown into the bullpen game fire, Urquidy gave the Phillies exactly what was needed on Friday night against the Mets: bulk innings where he was effective and kept the team in the game. The offense’ recent allergy to scoring more than three runs did not help him, but it was at least nice that he kept it close.
Three down
Orion Kerkering – Listen, I know in these past couple of days, I’ve been rough on Kerkering. He has deserved it. There is no real reason for Kerkering to remain with the organization beyond the 2026 season. His demotion, in a time when they need really any reliever that possesses a pulse to throw critical innings, to a team in Lehigh Valley that actually won’t suit up again this year should tell you all you need to know about what the organization thinks of him. The merciful thing to do would probably have been to move on from him once the 2025 playoffs were concluded, but the Phillies possessed an “I can fix her!” mentality when it came to his career. The stuff he has warranted such action, so the plan to have him remain was sound, at least on paper. There was even a decent argument to be made that he should have been dealt at this past trade deadline. However, at this point, even the stuff isn’t really that great and his headspace is clearly not where one would want it to be. He just needs to be somewhere else.
J.T. Realmuto – It’s a good thing he’s beloved by the pitching staff because his offense is doo-doo. Zero for eighteen this week, but hey! Three walks! This is getting to the point where he’ll be the highest paid backup catcher in the league in 2028, if he isn’t released before that.
Kyle Schwarber – Hey, uh, Kyle? Anytime you want to start hitting the ball would be nice. I know the strikeout record is about to be placed in your personal trophy case any day, but some offensive production would be helpful. Walks are cool, of course, but you know what is cooler? Home runs. They’re cool. You should try hitting those again.
Mike and Dan return for Season 11 to run through some summer news on and off the ice, the Islanders’ first preseason game, and their super specific predictions for the season. Mike and Dan return for Season 11 to run through some summer news on and off the ice, the Islanders’ first preseason game and their super specific predictions for the season.
From the outside, it didn’t look like the Islanders did much this offseason. But sickos like us know that’s not the case. There’s a new captain, a new assistant GM, a new minority owner, a new (actual human) winner of the third jersey design contest, and a new streaming home for the team with the worst name we’ve ever heard. There’s also a “luxury item” the team might be able to see again this season. Sadly, the news isn’t all good, as Mat Barzal will miss most of camp with inflammation. At least, that’s what we think this weirdly-worded release says. We also say good bye to a guy we talked about A LOT last season. Uh, good luck to everyone involved.
In the second half, we “recap” the Islanders 2-1 preseason loss to the Devils and get used to Pete DeBoer’s plainspoken pressers, which are a welcome change. We also look at some recent articles featuring Matthew Schaefer being awesome and the Islanders getting a fair, if realistic shake from an outlet that usually doesn’t. Finally, we give some predictions on games, moves, awards, celebrities and other stuff we see happening around the Islanders and the NHL this season. We also pay our respects to late NHL coach and broadcaster Barry Melrose.
Thank you all so much for listening all these years. We’re lucky and grateful that our show has now passed the decade mark, which is rarified air for podcasts. We’re looking forward to bringing you our offbeat observations about this team for a long time.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche is recorded by TNT during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour at City National Arena on September 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Brett Kulak excited for stability with Avalanche after ‘tough’ year. [Col Hockey Now]
Brent Burns debuts new look ahead of 23rd NHL season. Avalanche defenseman brings clean-shaven beard, new teeth into training camp. [NHL]
Joe Sakic to remain as Avs’ GM on full-time basis. [TSN]
Should Nazem Kadri play wing for the Colorado Avalanche? [DNVR]
Mackenzie Blackwood enters the second year of his $26.25 million contract with something to prove after Scott Wedgewood’s breakout season turned Colorado’s goaltending situation into one of the team’s biggest questions. [The Hockey News]
The $21 million decision that changed everything. When the New York Rangers tried to pry Joe Sakic away from Colorado in 1997, the Avalanche faced a decision that would alter the franchise’s future. [Sports Illustrated]
NHL insider Darren Dreger reports that the Edmonton Oilers were not the only team interested in forward Alex Formenton. In fact, he was likely offered a contract instead of a professional tryout (PTO) because at least two other teams were prepared to offer him a guarantee.
Dreger was a guest on The Nielson Show and said: "There were other teams that wanted to sign Alex Formenton: Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, I was told, had considerable interest in Formenton, and Edmonton."
Why did he choose the Oilers? Of all his options on the table, why did Formenton choose to go to a Canadian team where the market would undoubtedly push back on the signing?
Dreger says it was about friendship.
"So, Formenton chose Edmonton mostly because of his history with Evan Bouchard. They are really good buddies, and more obviously, the time he spent with D.J. Smith when D.J. was in Ottawa."
Formenton was aware that him landing with an NHL team would cause a stir. It would land even more loudly in Canada, where he was part of a 2018 Hockey Canada team that was acquitted of sexual assualt. Still, he wanted to be around people he knew, people that would support him as he navigated that would come with the challenges of rejoining the NHL.
That support was on display early: the first time Formenton met with the media, Bouchard stood off-camera in the background, watching the entire interview.
Had Formenton gone to Vegas -- who had previously signed another member of the 2018 team in Carter Hart -- or Carolina, where they were Cup winners but don't have the most passionate hockey market, his signing would have made the news, but not like it did when he came to Edmonton. Formenton chose a support system and a chance to win over his other options.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves made a splash late in the offseason by signing former Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga to a two-year deal worth $12.4 million. Kuminga has a player option for the 2027-28 season and is expected to be the team’s starting power forward going into the year.
The Wolves needed a power forward after trading Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets and Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets earlier in the offseason. That glaring need for a power forward lasted nearly two months, but Anthony Edwards wanted to ensure that the position was covered. According to reports, he was instrumental in the recruitment process to get Kuminga to the Twin Cities.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 14: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shakes hands with Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors after winning Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“Anthony was really instrumental in recruiting him to come here,” Wolves general manager Matt Lloyd said in an interview with the StribSports Daily Delivery podcast. “We had had several conversations with him, his representatives, from [head coach] Chris Finch, to [president of basketball operations] Tim Connelly, to [basketball operations assistant] Alonzo Gee… everything just kind of came together.”
Edwards’ involvement in getting Kuminga to the Wolves is a strong sign of his leadership for the team. With Randle and Mike Conley Jr. gone, and Rudy Gobert taking a step back, this is undoubtedly Edwards’ team, and he is certainly taking on that role. This type of leadership is needed if Minnesota wants to take the next step as a franchise.
Edwards has earned the right to be able to recruit players to the organization and pick who will work best around him. The goal is for him, Jaden McDaniels, Kuminga, and LaMelo Ball to be part of the nucleus that gets the Wolves to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Canis Hoopus community, how do you feel about Kuminga joining the Wolves? Let us know in the comments section below.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 02: DJ Herz #74 of the Washington Nationals reacts after pitching against the New York Mets during the sixth inning at Nationals Park on July 2, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Entering the 2025 season, the pitcher I was most excited about was DJ Herz. He was coming off a rookie season where he flashed immense upside and looked like a key cog in the Nats rotation. One of the first articles I wrote for this site was about how high DJ Herz’s ceiling was.
However, things have not gone according to plan since then. After showing diminished stuff in Spring Training, it turned out that Herz needed Tommy John Surgery. He missed all of the 2025 season and was on the sidelines to start 2026. Following three rehab starts in June, Herz had to hit the shelf again due to a flexor strain. After building back up, Herz is back and will make his return to the big leagues tonight against the Tigers.
DJ Herz will start for the Nationals tomorrow, per the team, making his return to the majors after spending nearly two full seasons on the IL. Super promising in 2024, had 10.8 K/9 as a rookie.
This is a start that I am really looking forward to. Despite posting a 4.16 ERA in 88.2 innings as a rookie, his underlying numbers were much more promising. Herz posted a 3.71 FIP, a 3.85 xFIP and 3.30 xERA. The lefty was also a strikeout machine back in 2024.
Herz’s bread and butter is his fastball/changeup combination. As a prospect, he was known for his changeup but his fastball really stood out in the big leagues. It does not have crazy velocity, but the pitch generated a 30.5% whiff rate due to shape and deception. Against righties, Herz paired the heater with a nasty changeup. When he faces lefties, he relies more on his slider.
Command was a major question mark for Herz in the minors, but his 9.4% walk rate in the big leagues was much better than expected. There were starts where he battled command issues, but there were also nights where he was pinpoint. When Herz was locating, he tore through lineups. His 13 strikeout performance against the Marlins was insanely dominant.
After major surgery and a set-back, we will see if Herz has the same sort of crispness. Even if he does not, it would not be a reason to panic. The real test for Herz will come next year. This is just a good way to get his feet wet.
When Herz was on rehab, his stuff was not quite as loud as it was in 2024. In AAA, his fastball has been sitting around 92 instead of the 93-94 range we saw in the past. Early in his rehab assignment, he would be around 90-91 early in games before finding some extra velocity later in his outings.
DJ Herz is rehabbing in Rochester right now. Velo was down around 90 MPH for the first couple batters but he has been in the 92-93 MPH range since which is good to see. Averaged 93.5 in 2024 and was sitting around 93 by the end of the second inning
However, he has been trending in the right direction. Herz averaged 92.7 MPH in his last rehab start where he threw 65 pitches. It looks like he is starting to find his best stuff. That is part of the reason he is getting this opportunity down the stretch.
Hopefully this outing can be a springboard for Herz as we enter 2027. I will also be intrigued to see how deep into the game he will go. As stated, he threw 65 pitches in his last rehab start. With that in mind, I would imagine he will go about 70-75 pitches.
Regardless, it will be amazing to see the southpaw back on the mound. Ever since the Nats acquired him in the Jeimer Candelario trade, Herz has been a pitcher who has really intrigued me. Between his unique fastball, his nasty changeup and his deception, I have always thought there was something there.
Now we will get to see him back on a big league mound for the first time in two years. Just as it was for Josiah Gray, this was a culmination of a long process and an exciting day.
