The purple colorway of the Adidas produced shoe dropped with a video – made by PrizePicks – of Anthony's brother, Bubba Edwards, and his childhood best friend, Nick Maddox, "delivering" the new purple colorway to a crowd of people in Minnesota.
Edwards said in an email to USA TODAY that the purple 3s were "the hardest shoes we’ve put out yet."
"I know people have been clamoring for the purple, so here they are," Edwards said.
"'Hey Ant Man, can you drop your purple shoes,' said four kids in Minnesota," Drake says in the ad.
The Edwards video closes with a graphic that says "no one likes a yes man."
Edwards said that the Nike ad was a sign he is "doing something right."
"He’s not the first to take a shot and he won't be the last. I love it. I love talkin' trash and I love the game," Edwards said.
The Timberwolves and the Rockets are slated to play on Nov. 4. When asked if the ads will come up during the game, Edwards said that he would "probably be locked in on the game."
"Now when we beat them, I'll definitely have something to say," he added.
Edwards, PrizePicks announce partnership
The video comes as a part of the reveal of a partnership between Edwards and PrizePicks with the former being the company's first NBA brand ambassador.
"On the day Drake and KD called out Anthony, we immediately pitched a member of Ant’s team that it would be hilarious to kick off the partnership by delivering purple AE3s to fans in Minnesota," Joey Molko, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at PrizePicks told USA TODAY in an email.
Edwards said that he chose to partner with PrizePicks because the company allows him to "connect with fans in a fun way."
"I love that PrizePicks is an Atlanta-based company that moves with an energy that felt like a great fit," the Atlanta native said. "I’ve seen the impact they've made in my home city, and they’re committed to helping me do even more in Atlanta and Minnesota."
The partnership continues a trend of NBA stars partnering with gaming and prediction market companies.
LeBron James’ previous deal with DraftKings recently expired, but he since partnered with Polymarket. In February 2026, Giannis Antetokounmpo took a passive equity stake in Kalshi that is less than 1%, and he’s doing promotional work for the prediction market. Boardroom, a sports and entertainment media network co-founded by Kevin Durant, has partnered with FanDuel, with Durant frequently appearing in ads and even floating proposed parlay bets that fans and users can tail.
As the 2026/27 Sheffield Shield season gets underway on Wednesday, there’s never been a better time for an Australian domestic cricketer to hit a rich vein of form.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws during a spring training workout Thursday, Feb. 27th at CoolToday Park in North Port. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox took big steps toward wrapping up their ALDS series early as they won on Monday to take 2-0 leads over the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians. The Yankees just fell apart defensively behind their ace, probably AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler. The Rays don’t strike out much, and their mix of contact and speed, a mix the Tigers are finally working towards themselves, just had the Yankees flummoxed all game long while Freddy Peralta threw a good game for them.
Meanwhile, the Guardians just aren’t hitting much at all, and with Jose Ramirez a non-factor, it’s hard to see that changing too much under the pressure of needing to win three straight games now to advance. The White Sox just seem to have the vibes, and after dismissing them for about 15 years everytime they put together a solid roster, and being correct, I am no longer feeling that way. That’s a hungry young team playing loose and getting it done right now. We’ll see if they can put the series away on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, it will be the National League back in action, while the American League teams take a travel day to the lower seeds’ parks for Game 3 and 4, if necessary. The Brewers can knock out the Padres in Petco Park, while the Dodgers head to Truist Park in Atlanta tied 1-1 with the Braves.
Here are today’s matchups.
Dodgers at Braves: Truist Park, 6:00 p.m. ET on FS1
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) takes on LHP Chris Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA).
Brewers at Padres: Petco Park, 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1
RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
Los Angeles, CA - August 16, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) talk in the dugout before an MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers have a tall task against a rested Chris Sale in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, after scoring three runs in 16 innings against the ace left-hander during the regular season. They also will have Shohei Ohtani batting fifth, his lowest spot in a starting lineup since 2020 with the Angels.
“I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it,” Roberts said Monday. “And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why.”
The Dodgers are also looking for their first hit with a runner in scoring position in the series, with a related problem that they only have 10 plate appearances in those situations through two games. For what it’s worth, the Braves only have 14 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, and have just one single in 10 at-bats.
Scoring has been very hard to come by in this series, other than when hitting a ball over the wall — none of which have come with more than a runner on first base.
With the left-hander Sale on the mound, the Dodgers once again have Miguel Rojas starting, after the veteran batted .293/.340/.469 with a 121 wRC+ against lefties this season.
Rojas got one at-bat in Game 2 against southpaw opener Ray Kerr, and doubled, before Max Muncy pinch-hit for him in the fourth inning. He has two singles in 13 career at-bats against Sale, including one of the Dodgers’ five hits in Sale’s shutout win on August 27.
Rojas plays second for Tommy Edman and bats sixth, and Kiké Hernández is starting at third base in place of Muncy and batting ninth.
“You’ve got Kiké, you’ve got Miggy Ro, you’ve got Muncy. We’ve got good options. I don’t see Josue De Paula being an option. I don’t see myself sitting Will Smith,” Roberts said Monday. “At the end of the day, our guys are our guys. And, yeah, I can tweak a lineup. I can kind of insert, take out a player or two. But at the end of the day we still have got to go out there and play and execute and take good at-bats.”
The switch-hitting Edman usually hits lefties well — 113 wRC+ this year, 118 wRC+ career — but hasn’t done much of anything for the last two months or so, hitting .201/.294/.329 over his last 46 games, including five hitless at-bats plus a walk in the NLDS. Edman started against Sale in Atlanta on August 27, but struck out in all three at-bats against him.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made some major changes to his lineup for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, Oct. 6 against the Atlanta Braves.
Postseason specialist Enrique Hernandez will step in for Tommy Edman at second base and Roberts dramatically shook up the batting order.
Battling injuries late in the season, Shohei Ohtani is facing questions about his effectiveness at the plate and was moved down to hit fifth in Game 3. Ohtani went 2-for-8 (two singles) in the first two games of the series and struck out twice in the Game 2 loss on Sunday.
With the Dodgers facing a left-handed starter for the third game in a row. $240 million man Kyle Tucker, who homered in Game 1, was dropped down to eighth in the order.
Los Angeles sends last year's World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound for Game 3 at Truist Park. Yamamoto had a 2.53 ERA in 28 starts during the regular season and has posted a 2.25 ERA in 56 career postseason innings.
Here's the Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 3 in Georgia:
Dodgers lineup today
Mookie Betts (R) SS
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
Will Smith (R) C
Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Miguel Rojas (R) 2B
Andy Pages (R) CF
Kyle Tucker (L) RF
Enrique Hernández (R) 3B
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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 20, 1988: General Manager Fred Claire, second from left, of the Los Angeles Dodgers being interviewed by CBS sports broadcaster Bob Costas, second from right, while Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, far left, and manager Tommy Lasorda (C) holds the world series trophy after the Dodger beat the Oakland Athletics in game 5 to win the 1988 World Series, October 20, 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Dodgers won the series 4-1. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fred Claire, the general manager of the World Series-winning Dodgers in 1988 and a longtime public relations executive with the team, died at his home in Pasadena on Monday night, his 91st birthday.
Claire’s time as Dodgers general manager was bookended by sudden upheaval. First in 1987, after Al Campanis was fired for his racist remarks about Black players and managers in baseball on the ABC show Nightline, Claire was plucked by owner Peter O’Malley to take over as GM after 18 seasons in the PR department. Then in 1998, Claire was ousted along with manager Bill Russell once the team’s sale to Fox was finalized.
In between, the Dodgers made the playoffs three times in Claire’s 10 full seasons as general manager, including winning the World Series in 1988.
The Dodgers after winning the National League West in 1985 lost 89 games in consecutive years, and Claire was a busy man in his first offseason as general manager after the 1987 season. The Dodgers were in talks to trade Pedro Guerrero to the Detroit Tigers for Kirk Gibson, but there was also the pending decision in MLB’s collusion case that would eventually make Gibson a free agent later that winter. The Dodgers in December signed Gibson, who won National League MVP and authored one of the most famous home runs in baseball history, hitting a walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
The Dodgers in December also signed outfielder Mike Davis, who averaged 22 home runs in each of the previous three seasons in Oakland. Davis was very bad in his time with the Dodgers, but did draw a pinch-hit walk ahead of Gibson’s home run in the World Series, and also homered in the Game 5 clincher in Oakland.
At the winter meetings, Claire was in simultaneous talks with the Toronto Blue Jays (for shortstop Manuel Lee), New York Mets, and Oakland A’s. After an all-night session of talks, the Dodgers on December 11 made a three-team deal that sent pitchers Bob Welch and Matt Young to Oakland, and Jack Savage to New York, with shortstop Alfredo Griffin plus relievers Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco going to the Dodgers.
“I knew that we had to do several things to improve,” Fred Claire told True Blue LA in 2017. “We went into those meetings with three things that had to be accomplished. We had to have a shortstop to stabilize our infield. We needed a closer and we needed a left-handed relief pitcher. It’s one thing to target one player or one position, but we had three needs.”
As luck would have it, the Dodgers would play the 100-win Mets in the National League Championship Series and the 104-win A’s in the World Series that year. They beat them both.
“Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as the 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to his wife Sheryl and his family.”
The Dodgers under Claire also made the playoffs in 1995 as NL West champions and in 1996 as a wild card team. In 1994, after contract talks to retain Jody Reed stalled, so Claire traded for another infielder, getting Delino DeShields from the Montreal Expos. Going the other way was undersized 22-year-old right-hander Pedro Martínez, who would later win three Cy Young Awards, make eight All-Star teams, and sail into the Hall of Fame.
Claire was born in Ohio but moved with his family to California as a teenager and graduated from Torrance High School before earning a journalism degree from San Jose State in 1957.
He worked at the Whittier Daily News before moving to the Pomona Progress-Bulletin, where he was sports editor for seven of his nine and a half years at the newspaper. In 1968, Claire moved to the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram to cover the Angels, and moved to the Dodgers beat in 1969, before getting hired by the team in July 1969 in public relations, becoming a vice president in that department in 1975.
When he was hired from the PR department as general manager in April 1987, Claire was aware of the criticisms coming his way for lack of experience, and speculation that his GM tenure might be a short-term affair.
Note: The following is from a lineup that is now out of date. More information on the updated lineup can be found below.
The Atlanta Braves have a chance to take a series lead in the NLDS against the Dodgers at home these evening behind Chris Sale.
The pitching is what has been given a lot of love by the media and fans alike for good reason for the Braves, but the offense has been the unsung hero. Sure, the offense has not set the world on fire, but there have been quite a few small things that has really stuck out.
During the regular season the Braves were so bad at drawing walks, that only two teams in MLB has worse walk rates. In the postseason, the Braves are first in walks. A key player in that has been Ozzie Albies.
The Braves also lead in HRs, 2Bs, and TBs. If they keep getting runners on, it will eventually lead to more runs than what we are seeing. That is easier said than done against this Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but it is a good sign. Yamamoto has only surrendered one earned run against the Braves in 16.1 innings.
So far in the postseason the question about the lineup has been which player Walt Weiss is going to put in the DH slot.
The biggest change from last game is the Ha-Seong Kim will be playing SS with Mauricio Dubón shifting back to LF. Of course, this means Lane Thomas will not be getting the start. Murphy is staying at DH, apparently due to Weiss liking him to be available pinch hit for him easily whenever he wants.
Rowdy isn’t in today’s lineup. This weekend, Walt said he likes to have Murphy at DH and Baldwin at C because it allows him to PH for Murph at the right point of a game https://t.co/NxHgAHNxuS
This strategy does hold some weight, but a lot of Murphy’s value is in his defense. You could also shift Baldwin catcher mid-game if you prefer to have Murphy catcher when a pinch hitter comes in for Murphy. The assumption would be that Weiss does not like to swap catchers mid-game.
One would have thought that the Dodgers would be deploying a similar lineup like the one they had against Chris Sale since he and Kerr are both lefties, but there have been some major changes where certain starters will be fitting in the lineup.
Surprisingly Ohtani will be hitting fifth and Tucker is dropping all the way down to eighth. Rojas will be at 2B today instead of 3B and move of to hitting sixth while Kiké Hernández will be playing 3B and Edman will not be starting.
First pitch is at 6:00 pm EDT.
[UPDATE 4:37 p.m. ET]: Apparently, we have some late shuffling and scratching going on with Atlanta’s lineup. After being originally slated to play in the outfield, Ronald Acuña Jr. has been moved to DH for this contest. As a result, Sean Murphy is now out of the lineup. Here’s a look at the new lineup:
Mark Bowman reported on social media that the reasoning for this change was that apparently Acuña’s been dealing with a sore knee since sliding during Game 2 of the NLDS. A knock on effect here is that Lane Thomas is now in the lineup and batting seventh.
Outside of that, the lineup remains the same. Nothing like a little bit of lineup drama right before the start of a massive Postseason game, right?
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From 1991-2005, the Atlanta Braves made the playoffs every year and set an MLB record for most consecutive postseason appearances.
After the dust settled on the 2026 regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers tied that unprecedented mark.
And, now, ironically enough, they’re tied once again after two close NLCS games.
Next up, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale’s elite National League clubs meet in a crucial third NLCS game this afternoon at Atlanta’s Truist Park that determines who takes a decisive 2-1 lead in this cutthroat best-of-five series.
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“Both offenses are carrying their fair shares of frozen bats: Freddie Freeman entered Sunday hitting .167 over his final 18 regular-season games before homering, while Andy Pages is 0-for-7 this postseason and Tommy Edman is 0-for-5,” The Post noted.
“Ronald Acuña Jr. is 3-for-18 without an extra-base hit this postseason, while Matt Olson is 3-for-19 with seven strikeouts.”
Simply put, expect a pitcher’s duel (that won’t end in a tie). Yamamoto and Sale are built for this kind of big game.
Here’s how to tune in to the Game 3 of the NLDS without cable.
Dodgers vs. Braves time
Game 3 of the Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS is scheduled to begin today, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET.
How to watch Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS Game 3 for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS games for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes FS1 as part of its 125+ channel options.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
The Florida Panthers will play in their fourth straight home opener on Tuesday night.
Florida’s season-opening four-game road trip will come to an end, finally, when they visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
Through their first two road games, the Kings have had a hard time keeping the puck out of the net this season.
While it’s a good thing to have scored eight goals in only two games, the Kings have also been outscored by five despite the offensive output.
They’ll turn back to Darcy Kuemper between the pipes on Thursday, giving him a chance to bounce back after an extremely forgettable Opening Night in Colorado.
Kuemper surrendered seven goals to the Avalanche on just 29 shots last Wednesday night, so he’ll certainly be looking to rebound and get his season off on the right track.
Florida, meanwhile, leads all NHL teams that have played at least three games by allowing only one goal at 5-on-5.
They’ve allowed four goals while shorthanded, with a paltry 71.4% success rate on their penalty kill so far on 14 attempts. Clearly that is an area they’ll look to clean up, starting in Los Angeles.
For those who may be wondering, the Kings have gone 2-for-7 on the power play so far this season, good for a 28.6% success rate, ranking them ninth in the league. Florida sits in 22nd with just one power play goal in 17 attempts.
The only teams below the Panthers are ones who have yet to score a power play goal this season.
Florida won both games against the Kings last season, including a 5-2 victory in Los Angeles last November.
Brad Marchand scored twice that night, while Niko Mikkola added a pair of assists in the win.
Both will be counted on for Florida in their return to LA.
Marchand is coming off his regular season debut on Sunday in Anaheim, a game in which he was critical of himself despite scoring a game-tying goal late in the third period.
Mikkola, who will be skating in his 400th NHL game on Tuesday, has yet to find the scoresheet this season, but he and defensive partner Seth Jones have provided excellent shutdown defense at even strength so far this season.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s tilt with the Kings:
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Reinhart – Brad Marchand
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Photo caption: Sep 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;FloridaPanthersleft wing Brady Tkachuk (8) passes during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 27: A closeup view of the Texas Rangers logo on the Nike jersey worn by Josh Jung #6 prior to a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Its a Tuesday afternoon, and LDS games don’t start for a few more hours.
I could write something about the Rangers, but I don’t feel like it. So instead, I am offering up a trivia question.
Once again, a couple of rules…
1 — Put a spoiler over your answer in the comments.
2 — Don’t go digging around on baseball sites to try to discover the answer. This is a trivia question, not a scavenger hunt.
Here is an alphabetical list of former major league Texas Rangers position players:
Doug Davis (the catcher, not the pitcher)
Greg Golson
Mark Parent
Luis Pujols
Ryan Roberts
Rob Sasser
These players all have something in common, and this is a complete list of every former Ranger baseball player who has this commonality (so, for example, the answer can’t be “Rangers players who have never been in my kitchen,” because Carlos Tocci and Mason Tobin and Keith Smith, among others, also haven’t been in your kitchen).
Can you guess what all these players have in common?
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After not playing in an organized basketball game since April 2, Luka Dončić returned to the floor Monday night for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 127-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings. He recorded 21 points (5-of-12 shooting), three assists (five turnovers), two rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes of action. Following the game, Dončic, who spent the final month of 2025-26 and much of the offseason rehabbing from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, offered a reassuring report on his status.
“I felt great, honestly,” he told reporters Monday night. “The whole team was just moving faster. But me, personally, I think I felt great.”
Typically a mainstay on the Slovenian national team during tournaments and qualifying play, Dončić sat out this summer’s World Cup qualifying games while he recovered from last season’s injury. As such, he went more than half a year between basketball games and is happy to be back on the court.
“I missed it a lot. Basketball is one of the best things in my life and I missed it a lot,” he said. “It’s been, what, five, six months I think? Being back for the games, being competitive, it’s just a lot of fun for me and I’m really happy to be back.”
Although Dončić has rarely missed extended time in his career, he has been a bit banged up over the years, especially the past couple seasons. Only twice has he missed 10 or fewer regular-season games, which happened in 2018-19 (his rookie year) and 2020-21, though he’s also only missed more than 20 games once (2024-25). The Lakers will need as much from him as possible this season to vie for home-court advantage against teams like the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, so they’ll hope his lengthy layoff and unfortunate end to 2025-26 ultimately proves beneficial in 2026-27.
Individually, a healthy campaign would also aid his chances of an MVP honor. He’s finished among the top five in MVP voting four times and been named All-NBA First Team six times but just once has he earned a top-three finish. If he can play, say, 74 games this year, he’ll have a much better chance at finally adding an MVP trophy to all those impressive All-NBA First Team bids.
MONTREAL, CANADA - MAY 27: Logan Stankoven #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 27, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes are getting set for their fourth game of the season, and it promises to be another doozy, as they will pay a visit to the Bell Centre to take on the Montreal Canadiens in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final.
The contest is set for a 7:00 PM puck drop, as both teams will be looking to puck up their second victory of their respective seasons.
The Canadiens enter a game that both their players and fans will surely be revved up for at 1-0-1 following a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on opening night and a wild 6-5 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last Saturday.
Montreal’s star forwards are off to hot starts, as Nick Suzuki has four points on a goal and three assists, while Cole Caufield has already found the back of the net twice. Jakub Dobes was spectacular against Toronto, but faltered against the Pens. He’s rocking a .862 save percentage and 4.05 goals against average, and he’s set to get the nod between the pipes for the third consecutive contest.
Carolina will turn to Brandon Bussi, who was not a factor in last year’s playoff series between the two squads. Bussi has manned the net for both of the Canes’ losses to start the year, as he was excellent against the Florida Panthers before faltering in a big way last Friday against the Washington Capitals.
Sebastian Aho, long a thorn in the side of the Habs, has been pretty much the lone bright spot for Carolina so far offensively. The veteran center has four points on three goals and an assists, and he tallied both of the team’s goals in regulation in Philadelphia on Saturday to help key their first win, which came in overtime thanks to a winner from Shayne Gostisbehere.
The Canes recalled Jusso Valimaki from AHL Chicago, but based on the lineup at the morning skate, Mike Reilly will continue to hold down the sixth defenseman spot after drawing into the lineup for the Flyers game.
Brandon Bussi was the first goalie off the ice this morning for the #Canes in Montreal.
The lineup in front of him is expected to remain the same as it was for Saturday's victory in Philadelphia.
Juuso Valimaki, who was recalled from Chicago (AHL) last night, is with the team.… pic.twitter.com/b6iM7Pq2bF
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Head Coach Chaisson Allen of the Phoenix Suns smiles during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on July 12, 2026 at the Cox 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Bright Side, it’s always about the players. Whether it’s analyzing Devin Booker’s playmaking, Dillon Brooks’ defensive impact, or Collin Gillespie’s floor spacing, we’re always giving you the latest on the team and their main contributors. But something we don’t do often is give a glimpse of the people who put the players in spots to succeed and operate on the court.
This is why we’ve made a coach’s guide. Almost a mini-Wikipedia page. Take a look at Jordan Ott’s staff and their basketball and personal backgrounds. Of note: there is full continuity from last season, both in the names and roles for these assistants.
Chaisson Allen
Allen coached the 2026 Summer League Squad, leading them to a 3-2 record, and saw Khaman Maluach receive All-Summer League second-team honors. The second-longest-tenured assistant behind Brian Randle, Allen’s background is in prospect development, as he’s spent time coaching at both the college and G League levels. Some of the main players he’s been around are AJ Green, Lonnie Walker IV, and Christian Wood.
After going undrafted in 2011 out of Northeastern, Allen spent his basketball career overseas until he retired and went to the University of Miami to work on their player development staff. He’s been coaching or playing at the collegiate or professional level for 20 straight seasons.
DeMarre Carroll
Playing ten years in the NBA, Carroll joined the coaching staff when Jordan Ott took over last year. Carroll played for the Nets when Jordan Ott was an assistant in Brooklyn and was an assistant alongside him in Cleveland and with the Lakers. Coaching the 2025 Suns Summer League team, Carroll played a large part in the development of Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach, and Rasheer Fleming.
When Carroll played in the NBA, he was known for his ability to space the floor and guard players on the perimeter was a veteran alongside some of the NBA’s most dynamic passers in the 2010s, including Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley. A member of the 60-22 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks team that is one of the only teams in NBA history to have four all-stars, Carroll can reference what it’s like to contribute to elite teams that share the basketball.
Sean Dwyer
Dwyer coordinates game planning, video coordination, and tactical analytics. Much like Jordan Ott, there is a Michigan State connection – as a student manager during his four years in East Lansing. He did college basketball video coordination at Florida and Alabama (2009-15) before taking various assistant coaching roles through 2024-2025. In today’s NBA, video coordination is underrated. Several prominent NBA coaches, including Eric Spoelstra, Mike Brown, and Ott, took on video and planning as early career responsibilities.
Recently he made these comments about working his way up the coaching ladder on the Rising Coaches podcast.
John Little
Little acts as a conduit with the League Valley Suns and the NBA club. After playing at Northern Iowa (Kurt Warner, anyone?!), he had a pro career for a decade in Germany before returning to his alma mater as a video coordinator. Counting experience as the Valley Suns head coach in their first season, he’s had a total of six years of G-League coaching experience. That’s essentially a whole career playing and coaching one level below the “big leagues”. He knows all about hard work and the mindset of players on the cusp of really making it.
This season, two-way players such as CJ Huntley, Koby Brea, and Pat Spencer will be his focus, as well as managing any changes there, such as Kennedy Chandler, who shows enough to replace one of those players.
Jesse Mermuys
Mermuys is the lead assistant coach and also has primary responsibility for the defensive specialists. In his last stop before joining the Suns last season, he was recognized for developing the Orlando Magic’s defense into a top-three-ranked unit in back-to-back years. Overall, he has 18 years of NBA coaching experience spanning six teams prior to the Suns, plus an assignment with USA Basketball. Those roles were under mostly defensive-minded head coaches (George Karl, Kevin McHale, Dwyane Casey, Luke Walton, Dave Joerger, and Jamahl Mosley) as noted in last year’s article by Brandon Duenas.
Last year, we saw significant improvement in the Suns’ defense. With added defensive skills from Miles Bridges and more minutes in year two with Khaman Maluach, Mermuys has the ingredients to cook up a special defense this season.
On the Coaches Site podcast this offseason, Jesse discussed coaching at a high level while not having been a college or pro player.
Mike Muscala
The most recent NBA player on the coaching staff, Muscala can be seen actively working with players before games in warmups. Playing under Ott as a video coordinator with the Hawks, Khaman Malauch has a strong blueprint for how he can complement Devin Booker by spacing the floor and playing alongside ball-dominant scorers.
In his NBA tenure, Muscala played alongside LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jaylen Brown, mostly serving as a backup center and reserve. Playing for the Thunder from 2019 to 2023 and then returning in 2024, he helped mentor many of the main players who led the 2025 champions and was there when the team was struggling all the way to them becoming the first seed in the Western Conference.
Brian Randle
Randle’s focus is on front-court development, a role that is, in some ways, complementary to Muscala’s. He had been an assistant on the NBA Finals team under Monty Williams and was brought back as part of Ott’s staff last year.
As noted in last year’s team press release about the coaching staff, Randle is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where he played four seasons on the men’s basketball team before playing professionally overseas, winning the Israeli Basketball Premier League’s Defensive Player of the Year award a league-record three times.
In limited TV interviews, he’s seemed intelligent, backed by a pedigree that includes a bachelor’s degree in agri-finance and a master’s in sports management. That, combined with the on-court experience above, positions him well for this role.
Players like Rasheer Fleming, Ryan Dunn, and Koa Peat are within Randle’s scope. Those are three of the team’s most important developmental pieces, making his coaching a key determinant of near and long-range team success.
Are there other areas of the organization you’d like a deep dive on? Let us know!
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 14: Brenton Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rockies in action against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 49, Brenton Doyle (-0.4 rWAR)
For a while, it looked like the Colorado Rockies’ two-time Gold Glove center fielder would become the face of the franchise, especially after a 2024 season in which his bat caught up to his stellar defensive work.
However, 2025 was a mixed message that saw Doyle struggling in the first half while finishing strong in the second.
The 2026 season was critical: It was his chance to show who he was as a player, that he could put both sides of his game together while staying healthy.
Prior to getting hurt, Doyle had again struggled at the plate. In 43 games, he slashed .207/.279/.270 with one home run.
In late June, he started a rehab assignment, but that was short lived due to a groin injury. Eventually, however, Doyle was ready to return to action. Over the course of two separate rehab stints with Triple-A Albuquerque, he appeared in 11 games and batted .395/.447/.651, an indication that he was perhaps back on track.
Finally on July 31, just days before the MLB trade deadline, Doyle returned to the Rockies.
“It was probably the longest injury stint I’ve ever experienced in my baseball career,” Doyle said.
However, things had changed in the Rockies outfield during his absence. Most notably, top prospect Cole Carrigg assumed Doyle’s place in center field. While Carrigg lacked Doyle’s defensive chops, he brought a versatility that Doyle lacked in addition to being a switch hitter.
Still, Doyle looked solid during his return. In seven plate appearances, he had two hits, including a double and an RBI.
But, it turns out, the Rockies had already decided on their new centerfielder. A few days later, Doyle was traded to the AL Wild Card-winning Chicago White Sox.
Worth noting, the White Sox have primarily used Doyle in a platoon role and as a defensive specialist. His OPS with the Rockies was .569 (51 OPS+) in 129 plate appearances. With the White Sox, those numbers improved to .720 OPS+ (98 OPS+) in 94 plate appearances. Those changes were surely the result of several factors: getting healthy; being used in a platoon role that gave him a better chance to succeed; and leaving the demands of baseball at elevation.
Still, for Rockies fans, the end of the #DoyleRules Era is bittersweet. Doyle spent his time on some miserable Rockies teams, but his defensive gems were always a highlight for fans.
When asked what his secret was to playing Gold-Glove defense in the most-challenging ballpark in MLB, Doyle said, “It’s no secret, really. It’s just a lot of hard work. I don’t take practice out there very lightly when I’m trying to shag balls and get reads. I actually look at it as an advantage, being able to play at Coors Field for every single home game, just because it, honestly, makes other fields and other stadiums seem even smaller and allows me to cover more ground.”
However, Doyle lacked offensive consistency, and between the 2025-2026 seasons, he’d begun to lose playing time to injuries. Surely Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes considered those factors before deciding to cast their lot with Carrigg.
That said, those Gold Glove and defensive highlight reels aren’t going anywhere, and they will love long in the memories of Rockies fans.
Here’s wishing Doyle a healthy and productive career with the White Sox.
It doesn’t appear that he needs Rockies fans to raise a glass in his honor since he’s raising plenty for himself these days.
Ildemaro Vargas and Tim Tawa. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Historically, who played first base for the Diamondbacks?
Only seven players had 120-game seasons at first base for the Diamondbacks. The first five only reached that level for one season each. Following that, Paul Goldschmidt reached that level in 6 of 8 seasons. More recently, Christian Walker reached that level in 4 out of 6 seasons. In the last two seasons, no player reached 120 games.
This season, Ildemaro Vargas had the most games at first base (74 games). This season, he seemed to mostly share the position:
April/May, shared with Jose Fernandez
June, shared with Pavin Smith
July/August, shared with Tim Tawa and Tyler Locklear
September, shared with Tim Tawa and Pavin Smith
This season, the team Wins Above Average (WAA) at first base was negative 2.4, which was comparable to last season’s WAA of negative 2.2. For more details about how bad things looked in July, see this AZ Snake Pit article.
And the offense was not much better. The following table shows, for first base, the team OBP and SLG (as well as the main players at first base).
Players who might play first base next season.
Current Diamondbacks.
Tim Tawa. In his second season in the Majors, Tim Tawa is no longer a dark horse. At 27 years old, he has not yet reached his peak performance.
“In 2026, his OPS improved every month [through August]. His OPS in August was better than league average. His defense was above average, especially at left field and first base.”
“Tim Tawa was one of four batters [in MLB] who were better than average on all five fundamental measures per Ben Clemens’ pocket guide (albeit he is basically an average batter).”
“He knows the mental imperative of expecting success while knowing it won’t always happen. He prepares for games with the mental skills staff and the hitting staff.”
“Tim Tawa is close to achieving everyday player status, which would exceed preseason expectations.” — Makakilo
Pavin Smith. After sharing first base playing time in June, Pavin Smith was designated for assignment in July. To my surprise, on 15 September he was back playing first base for the Diamondbacks. Upon his return, his 1.144 OPS was impressive (24 PAs). He is 30 years old. His salary is $2.25 Million. Next season will be his final in arbitration.
Current Diamondbacks who became FA at end of this season.
Ildemaro Vargas. His salary is roughly $1.4 Million. He is 35 years old.
At the end of last season, the Diamondbacks outrighted him off the roster. In December, they signed him to a minor league contract. On 23 March, they informed him that he will be on the active roster.
This season, in a series against the Athletics, he did something impressive and unusual.
“Ildemaro Vargas had a walk-off hit in Tuesday’s game during that series, and then ended up closing out (if not closing) Wednesday’s game from the mound, being called on to pitch with a 12-run lead.” — Jim McLennan
Current Diamondbacks in AAA, or who made their MLB debut this season.
Manuel Pena.
“Minor League Baseball today announced that Amarillo Sod Poodles infielder Manuel Pena has been named a Texas League All-Star at Third Base. The slugging infielder had a remarkable Double-A campaign that began on 0pening day with the Soddies until his promotion to Triple-A Reno on June 16.” – Amarillo Sod Poodles
“…, a promising player in AAA who could have a future at first base is Manuel Pena. He is 22.6 years old. Recently, he impressed two writers, in May and July.” — Makakilo
Jose Fernandez. He is 23 years old. This season, his MLB debut, he played half his games at third base and half his games at first base. He showed he can hit MLB caliber fast balls.
“…There’s little reason for a pitcher to risk the relative unknown placement of an offspeed or breaking pitch if he can simply power a pitch by the batter. Fernandez has definitively passed that test as he has walloped fastballs to the tune of a .364 BA and .500 SLG while still seeing them nearly 53% of the time….” — Ben Seigel
Current Diamondbacks who may need a defensive shift.
Ketel Marte. He is 32 years old. In 2026, his OPS+ fell from 147 to 107. Perhaps if he moved to a less demanding position, his batting would improve.
“Top prospect Demetrio Crisantes is knocking on the door after reaching Triple-A in July. With incumbent second baseman Ketel Marte signed through 2030, a defensive shift is likely coming at some point. The alternative to shifting Marte to first base would be to make him the full-time DH, but that creates a logjam in the outfield.” — Joel Reuter, 10 September, 2026
Possible Trade Acquisitions. Assuming the Diamondbacks pitching looks good for 2027, the Diamondbacks may look to acquire a first baseman. Avoiding the free agent market, I looked to acquire via trade (which is a strength of the Diamondbacks). I found two candidates.
Ryan O’Hearn. He is 33 years old, and under team control through the 2027 season. Although in 2026 his OPS+ fell from 127 to 108, he is a bounce-back possibility because his BABIP was down.
Andrew Vaughn. He is 28 years old, and under team control through the 2027 season. In 2026, his OPS+ rose from 99 to 130. His plate discipline broke out with career best 10.6 BB%, and 16.0 K%. While his squared-up percentage rose to a career high 33.9%, his hard-hit percentage fell to 43.5%.
How can these players be compared?
Let’s compare their OPS (with split against right-handed pitchers and left-handed pitchers) and let’s compare their defense on three metrics:
Defensive Runs Saved (DRS).
Outs Above Average (OAA).
Defensive Fielding Run Value.
The following table compares the OPS of the candidates in 2026.
The following table compares the defense at first base of the candidates.
My View.
The best everyday player (no platoon) would be Andrew Vaughn.
Best spot player to be called up when needed would be Jose Fernandez (or Manuel Pena).
The best platoon players would be:
Vs RHP: Tim Tawa (or Ryan O’Hearn).
Vs LHP: Ildemaro Vargas (or Ketel Marte when his defense at second base declines).
