Alcaraz beats Lehecka for first title since February
Novak Djokovic capped an outstanding week at the China Open with his first title for nearly a year. The 39-year-old profited from the retirement of his final opponent, Alex de Minaur, after only one game of the second set to win a seventh title in Beijing and maintain his record of never having lost at the tournament.
The 7-6, 0-1 victory means Djokovic has won at least one title in each of the past 21 years, while he now has 102 tour level trophies overall. Both men reached the final without having to complete their matches on Monday – Djokovic thanks to the much-publicised disqualification of Daniil Medvedev, while De Minaur’s opponent Hubert Hurkacz pulled the plug because of injury.
We polled writers within the USA TODAY Network who cover Big Ten schools for their preseason predictions, all-conference teams and preseason awards ahead of Big Ten media days, which run Oct. 8 in Rosemont, Illinois.
It was a two-horse for the top spot between Michigan State and Illinois, with the Spartans edging it out by one point (280-279).
Jeremy Fears Jr. was selected as preseason Big Ten Player of the Year and was the only unanimous All-Big Ten pick. Here's a look at how our writers think the 2026-27 season will shake out in the Big Ten:
Big Ten basketball preseason poll, predicted order of finish
Michigan State
Illinois
Michigan
UCLA
Nebraska
Purdue
USC
Ohio State
Indiana
Iowa
Wisconsin
Maryland
Minnesota
Oregon
Washington
Northwestern
Rutgers
Penn State
2026-27 preseason All-Big Ten basketball team
FIRST TEAM
* denotes unanimous selection
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State*
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
David Mirkovic, Illinois
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan
Nolan Winter, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM
Trey McKenney, Michigan
Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois
John Mobley Jr., Ohio State
Pharrel Payne, Maryland
Rodney Rice, USC
Also receiving votes (listed by vote count): Coen Carr, Michigan State; Markus Burton, Indiana; Aiden Sherrell, Indiana; Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois; Nikola Kusturica, UCLA; Trent Perry, UCLA; KJ Lewis, USC; Tariq Francis, Rutgers; Stefan Vaaks, Illinois; Alijah Arenas, USC; Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue; Braden Frager, Nebraska; C.J. Cox, Purdue; Cade Tyson, Minnesota; Omer Mayer, Purdue; Eric Dailey Jr., UCLA; Jaylen Petty, UCLA; Anthony Thompson, Ohio State; JP Estrella, Michigan; Jacob Cofie, USC.
Big Ten basketball preseason Player of the Year
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Fears averaged 15.2 points and a league-leading 9.4 assists per game last season on way to a first-team All-Big Ten selection. He landed on numerous All-America teams last year and enters the 2026-27 season on shortlists for national player of the year.
Also receiving votes: David Mirkovic, Illinois; Trey McKenney, Michigan.
Big Ten basketball preseason Newcomer of the Year (non-freshman)
Stefan Vaaks, Illinois
Brad Underwood sure does love him some European. This 6-7 Estonian transfer from Providence averaged 15.8 points per game last season and led the Big East with 91 made 3s (at a 35% clip). The Illini lost their top 3-point shooters from last season (Keaton Wagler and Ben Humrichous), so Vaaks fills a key void.
Also receiving votes: Markus Burton, Indiana; KJ Lewis, USC; Aiden Sherrell, Indiana; Jaylen Petty, UCLA; Moustapha Thiam, Michigan.
Big Ten basketball preseason Freshman of the Year
Anthony Thompson, Ohio State
A top-10 national recruit, Thompson is the highest-ranked Buckeyes recruit since Jared Sullinger in 2010 and the program's first McDonald's All American since D'Angelo Russell in 2014. The 6-9 Ohio native has a 7-3 wingspan averaged 24.9 points and 7.9 rebounds and has range that extends to the 3-point arc.
Also receiving votes: Nikola Kusturica, UCLA; Christian Collins, USC; Quentin Coleman, Illinois; Bab Oladotun, Maryland.
Poll participants: Nathan Baird (IndyStar), John Steppe (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), Tyler Tachman (Des Moines Register), Connor Earegood (Detroit News), Adam Jardy (Columbus Dispatch), Zach Osterman (IndyStar), Jordan Mendoza (USA TODAY), Sam King (Lafayette Journal & Courier), Jerry Carino (Asbury Park Press), Chris Solari (Detroit Free Press), Graham Couch (Lansing State Journal), Michael Niziolek (Bloomington Herald-Times), Tony Garcia (Detroit Free Press), Chad Leistikow (Des Moines Register), John Leuzzi (USA TODAY Network), Craig Meyer (USA TODAY Network).
Dial has shifted, especially for Fleming’s Test side, before winter tours of South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia
Last year, England’s winter started in New Zealand, where preparation for their first game in any format for nearly a month amounted to two relaxed training sessions, a cultural welcome ceremony involving local Māori elders and, before that, a team-bonding mini-break in Queenstown.
“Obviously there was a bit of golf played and a few drinks here and there and team meals and whatnot,” Harry Brook said of that trip. “It was just about trying to spend a bit of time together. They’ve got some amazing golf courses and we were lucky enough to get on a couple of them. A couple of the other lads managed to get out and enjoy Queenstown. Everybody had a lot of fun.”
On Monday, NHL legend Alex Ovechkin announced that this will be his last season in the NHL before retirement, meaning that the Philadelphia Flyers will stake claim to an honor nobody else can.
Ovechkin, 41, will face the Flyers for perhaps the final time in his NHL career on April 10, 2027, when the Washington Capitals sniper visits Philadelphia in the last game of the 2026-27 regular season for both teams.
Of course, the Capitals and the Flyers could always meet in the playoffs at some point, though the way the Flyers have played to start their season, that seems pretty unlikely.
But, if the Flyers don't give any other reason for excitement in Game 84, true hockey fans will turn up to see the send-off for The Great 8, the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history with the all-time record of 929 goals and counting.
"It's sad, but it is what it is. We have an unbelievable team for this year and 82 games left. Let's make the playoffs, let's have fun and enjoy the moment," Ovechkin said, addressing his teammates in the locker room in a video posted by the Capitals on social media.
Averaging an NHL career low 13:10 of ice time through Washington's first two games, Ovechkin has one assist and one shot on goal thus far, taking a backseat to newcomers like Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch as the Capitals aim to make his last season count.
Ovechkin's impact against the Flyers
Alex Ovechkin has 54 career goals against the Flyers. (Photo: Daniel Kucin Jr., Imagn Images)
It goes almost without saying that Ovechkin has long been a thorn in the side of the Flyers during a storied NHL career that has spanned 22 seasons and 1,575 regular season games and counting.
Fifty-four of Ovechkin's 929 career goals have come against the Flyers, according to Statmuse, and the star Russian winger owns 86 points in 82 career games against Philadelphia overall.
Flyers captain Sean Couturier and Ovechkin have played each other 50 times over their respective careers, with Couturier scoring 13 goals, 20 assists, and 30 points in those games, while Ovechkin posted 28 goals, 14 assists, and 43 points.
Another blast from the past: Flyers GM Danny Briere played Ovechkin in the regular season 29 times, scoring 10 goals, 12 assists, and 22 points in those games, whereas his Capitals counterpart potted 22 goals, 13 assists, and 35 points.
The playoffs were a different story, though, as Briere produced six goals, five assists and 11 points to Ovechkin's four goals, five assists, and nine points in seven games, when the Flyers went the distance to defeat the Capitals in the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.
As long as physical health allows, Briere will be in the house as Couturier and the Flyers welcome Ovechkin to Philly for one last regular season game.
On Monday, Washington Capitals legend Alexander Ovechkin announced that the 2026-27 season will be his last one in the NHL. After 22 years on this side of the pond, the Great 8 didn’t say he would retire, just that it would be his last year in the NHL. In other words, he’ll likely head home and spend some time in the KHL, as so many Russians do when Father Time catches up to them.
At 41, the Capitals captain isn't as productive as he once was, but he remains a legend of the game and the all-time leading goal scorer. Once, people wondered whether he could beat Wayne Gretzky’s regular-season goal total of 894, and he did in 2024-25. He could still beat Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. The Canadian has 1,016 goals if you include the playoffs, whereas the Russian has 1,006. It would take a fantastic postseason for the Caps, but it’s far from impossible. When Washington won the Stanley Cup in 2017-18, he scored 15 goals in 24 games.
As things stand, Ovechkin has 929 goals and 759 assists for 1688 points. In 22 seasons, he has faced the Montreal Canadiens 63 times, scoring 44 goals and adding 32 assists for 76 points. He's been a thorn in the Habs’ side over the years, and it’s fair to say the Sainte-Flanelle won’t miss him.
Fans may miss him, though, because he remains an impressive player to watch on the ice; who doesn’t remember his breakaway challenge at the All-Star Game in Montreal in 2009? The Tricolore will face him three times this season; the first two duels will be in Washington on October 14 and January 19, and once in Montreal on February 13, at 1:00 PM. As always on Superbowl weekend, the Bell Centre will host a couple of matinee games, and if you’ve yet to see Ovechkin play in person, this will be your very last chance to watch him take on the Habs. If your kid has never seen him play, there’s your chance.
Right now, very few tickets remain for that game, and the cheapest one is at $269. Secondary-market prices will likely rocket up. Still, Canadiens fans will no doubt salute the end of Ovechkin’s career beautifully in February, and it will be yet another marquee moment at the Bell Centre.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 4: Mascot The Coyote of the San Antonio Spurs high fives fans during the 2026 NBA Finals Legacy Project in San Antonio on June 4, 2026 at the Denver Heights Community Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This month marks the ten-year anniversary of a partnership between the San Antonio Spurs and Methodist Healthcare. Per a Spurs press release:
The San Antonio Spurs and Methodist Healthcare celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their longstanding partnership, marking a decade of working together to support families and strengthen the San Antonio community through meaningful programs, special events and memorable milestones. To commemorate the anniversary, the organizations unveiled a limited-edition co-branded blanket that will be given to newborns at Methodist Healthcare hospitals this year, while supplies last.
Dan Miller, President and CEO of Methodist Healthcare, stated,
“For the past decade, our partnership with Spurs Sports & Entertainment has been about a shared commitment to South Texas. Whether it’s bringing joy to a patient on one of their hardest days, connecting with and learning from our care teams, or helping our community make informed choices about their health, the Spurs have been there alongside us. We’re grateful for their partnership over the past 10 years and look forward to all we can continue to do together for South Texas.”
From tradition such as the “baby races” to Spurs summer youth basketball camps, the partnership has created many memorable experiences. Over the years, Spurs players and coaches have made appearances at Methodist facilities bringing joy to patients during challenging times.
Frank Miceli, chief commercial officer at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, added,
“Methodist Healthcare is an outstanding example of what it means to be a mission-driven organization, with its world class doctors and staff working tirelessly to improve health outcomes in our city and provide comprehensive family care. Over the past ten years we’ve seen our partnership come to life in so many special ways, through youth sports, patient visits and more, and we look forward to many more years of working together to positively impact the health and happiness of our San Antonio community.”
Here’s hoping the relationship continues to spread goodwill for another ten years!
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: VJ Edgecombe #77 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up for the rebound during the game against the New York Knicks on October 5, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The new-look Philadelphia 76ers kicked off their preseason Monday night hosting the New York Knicks.
Well… sort of the new-look Sixers. As there tends to be for preseason, there were a number of absences, some more major than others. Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona all missed the opening contest. Important to note though that Simons (muscle tightness), Barlow (back) and Bona (foot sprain) were the only ones out dealing with actual injury, according to Nick Nurse.
But that still left plenty of players to get early glimpses of in the Sixers’ preseason debut, which Philly won 120-97 (if you for some reason care about preseason game scores). Let’s watch some highlights and talk about it.
Jaylen Brown: good at basketball
First player reel of the 2026-27 Sixers (pre)season goes to Jaylen Brown, who looked absolutely dominant offensively on the floor tonight.
Brown looked absolutely dominant in his time out on the floor in the first half of this one, racking up 22 quick points in the first half (16:51 played) and showcasing an array of his skills from footwork in isolation to finishing at the rim to long-range shooting and his midrange pull-up.
To put it simply, he looked like the player that anyone who has watched the Celtics in recent history knows he is. He took the rest of the night off, deservedly so.
VJ Edgecombe looking like VJ Edgecombe, but better
VJ Edgecombe looks like an improved, stronger version of the player we got to know in his rookie season. Some shooting inconsistency, but good buckets and great assists fill his reel from tonight's preseason matchup.
There was already so much to like about Edgecombe after his excellent debut NBA season, but now he only seems to have gotten better — and stronger. The young guard still uses his footwork, not necessarily his strength and size, to get right through opposing defenses, but his noticeable bulk-up over the offseason has given him increased body control finishing in the air through contact. That was something that was a bit difficult for him in year one. His confidence leading an offense and as a passing guard looks to have improved over the summer as well, with Edgecombe making a number of really nice assists in this one.
Sure, it’s just preseason — the disclaimer we have to make for all of these observations — but VJ is playing with a ton of confidence and it’s not hard to see why.
(His night was also done at halftime.)
Jabari Walker doing a lot of things right
Last player reel for the night is a quick one for Jabari Walker, who really impressed me tonight with his long-range shooting and aggressive/effective rebounding.
Throughout this one, Walker was looking like a very viable small-ball five — no small task when pitted against Karl-Anthony Towns. Getting in the correct positioning to come up with rebounds on both ends (11 boards) combined with some very smooth shooting from long range (3-for-5 3PT) made for an impressive outing from Walker that has definitely earned him a closer watch as we continue through this preseason campaign.
Catch up on the whole game
In case you missed this one, here’s the full reel of highlights from throughout the contest. One game down, many to go! Welcome to the 2026-27 season.
In case you missed the Sixers preseason opener, here's the full highlights from the win vs. Knicks.
No LeBron, Embiid or Maxey tonight… but we got plenty of Jaylen Brown, Edgecombe and more to fill the reel! 👇 pic.twitter.com/R3bFHvmj8G
DENVER, CO - MARCH 25: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 25, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I still think the Nuggets will be good.
I do not know if they are as good as the name recognition makes them seem.
Jokić is so dominant that it is easy to overlook how questionable the rest of the roster looks, and this offseason did not really fix any of the things I was worried about.
Denver Nuggets: Over/Under 47.5 wins
Over: -130 Under: +105 To win NBA Championship: +2500 To win Western Conference: +1300 To win Northwest Division: +900
Last season: 54-28, third in the West, lost in the first round
Key additions: DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III, Alpha Diallo, Trevon Brazile, Bryce Hopkins, Lonnie Walker IV Key losses: Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, Jonas Valančiūnas
My outlook on Denver is pretty bleak compared to what the name recognition suggests. They did not fix the bench. If anything, I think they made it worse.
Peyton Watson is the loss that bothers me most. He gave them size, athleticism, and defense off the bench, and Denver sent him to Cleveland after failing to work out a long-term solution. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown are gone too, meaning a second unit that was already a problem lost multiple players who could actually be trusted.
And I do not think the replacements make a ton of sense around Jokić. DeRozan is still good, but he is 37, lives in the midrange, and needs the ball. Denver already has Murray and Jokić creating most of the offense, and putting another non-volume three-point shooter around Jokić is not exactly how I would be trying to maximize him. Bagley is another weird one. He can score and rebound, but he doesn’t space the floor and isn’t the kind of defensive center who gives Denver a completely different look behind Jokić.
The Christian Braun problem is still there too. Denver gave him a huge extension before last season, then watched his production fall from 15.4 points on 39.7 percent from three in 2024-25 to 12.0 points and 30.1 percent from three last year. He also missed almost half the season. The Nuggets are basically betting that he just becomes the previous version of himself again.
Then there is Gordon. He is incredibly important to everything Denver does, but he dealt with hamstring problems throughout last season and then had calf tightness in the playoffs. At 31, I do not think you can just assume he suddenly plays 75 healthy games. That matters because this roster is not deep enough to absorb injuries the way better teams can.
Oklahoma City is still loaded. San Antonio is ridiculous. Minnesota is good. Houston is good. Even Portland is getting better. Denver plays in one of the toughest divisions and conferences in basketball.
Jokić will win them a ton of games on his own. That is why I am not projecting some collapse. But 45 or 46 wins, a playoff spot, and another season where Jokić covers up a lot of structural problems feels completely realistic. At plus money, that is enough for me to understand the under. But 45 or 46 wins, a playoff spot, and another year where Jokić masks a lot of structural issues feels completely realistic. At plus money, I can understand the under.
CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex on September 28, 2026 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“I think I’m going to stay in this new life for as long as I can,” I wrote back in April.
In retrospect, my Sixers soul probably just hadn’t spent enough time inside Grant to become active. Curses can have an incubation period. Nobody tells you that during a body swap!
When I wrote my last article in Grant’s body, the Celtics had just beaten the Sixers by 32 points in Game 1. Jaylen Brown was still in Boston. LeBron James lived safely across the country. I had escaped Philadelphia sports misery and landed inside a devilishly handsome Celtics writer with only mild lower-back pain.
By Game 4, Boston led 3-1. The swap was looking and feeling great.
Then I covered Game 5 at TD Garden and watched the Sixers stay alive from press row, a very professional place to experience the first symptom of a spiritual emergency. I took notes and tried not to stare too long at the Philadelphia celebration happening below me.
For Game 6, I went to a Boston pub in the Jaylen Brown jersey I had just bought. Philadelphia won again. A man beside me said, “they’ll take care of it at home,” like he was confirming a dinner reservation.
For Game 7, I was back inside the Garden with a credential, watching my former team become the first in NBA history to erase a 3-1 deficit against the Celtics.
Somewhere in Philadelphia, Vinny, my longtime neighbor, was probably dancing on a parked car. My landlord Joey had likely converted the laundry room into a members-only playoff lounge. My cousin Bobby’s favorite call-in show must’ve been fielding proposals to rename Broad Street to Edgecombe Avenue.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 02: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics embrace after the 76ers defeated the Celtics 109-100 in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in Boston, I was supposed to be writing about how the Celtics lost three straight. I had a theory, but I wasn’t sure Jeff would publish it.
What if I was the problem?
Maybe Philadelphia’s misery never belonged to the teams. Maybe decades of anxiety and misplaced trade-machine confidence had attached themselves to my soul and followed me into Grant’s bloodstream. Meanwhile, the real Grant was trapped inside my old body in Philadelphia. What if Celtics luck had traveled with him?
I tried to dismiss it. Teams have come back from 3-1 before. None had ever done it to the Celtics, a detail I buried beneath the Mike’s Pastry boxes piling up in Grant’s kitchen. But one historic collapse could be an accident, right?
The curse gets ambitious
Then, on July 1 around dinner time, a flurry of expletives rose through the floorboards from the apartment below.
I grabbed my phone.
Jaylen Brown had been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The room tilted. Grant’s Jaylen bobblehead nodded from the shelf like he knew this was coming. I turned it toward the wall. It kept nodding, which I understand is how bobbleheads work. I still felt personally attacked.
Philadelphia got Jaylen Brown. Boston got Paul George, draft picks and a group therapy exercise centered around the word “optionality.”
Then the Sixers went on to add LeBron James. Because of course they did.
I leave Philadelphia for six months, and the franchise assembles Maxey, Brown, LeBron and Embiid. Meanwhile, all I got during my time there was a confetti cannon malfunction, burner accounts and the chance to believe Markelle Fultz would rediscover his jumper.
Vinny must be unbearable. Joey has probably added “championship proximity” to the list of fees beneath our lease. Bobby may already be painting the parade route directly onto Broad Street Edgecombe Avenue.
I considered contacting Grant. The swap had involved Twitter, lightning and an argument with a Celtics fan. Recreating two would be easy. The lightning required research. I paused my fifth consecutive viewing of Back to the Future, leaving Doc Brown dangling from the clock tower, to read what Jaylen Brown had said at Sixers training camp.
He explained that he was learning a new defensive vocabulary and needed to “download” his brain into a different algorithm. Tyrese Maxey said he had to reprogram his mind after years of viewing Brown as the enemy.
Jaylen Brown on learning the team's new defensive terminology and system. "Whole new system, whole new calls. I gotta download my brain, different algorithm, to make sure I'm not calling the wrong stuff because the names are different." pic.twitter.com/6xxq7M8r57
“I guess what everybody always says around here,” Brown said. “Trust the process.”
Three months. That is how long it took Philadelphia to get Jaylen Brown to say “trust the process.”
I spent years saying those words, mainly to myself in the mirror through tears and a forced smile. Jaylen had been there for one fiscal quarter and was already quoting from the Book of Hinkie. He spent a decade helping Boston beat the Process into powder. Now he was distributing pamphlets.
Then, in his Sixers preseason debut, Brown scored 22 points in 17 turnover-free minutes. By the time his third three went in, I was Matthew McConaughey behind the bookshelf in Interstellar, desperately trying to send my April self one message through spacetime: AVOID LIGHTNING.
At this point, calling it a curse felt less like superstition and more like basic pattern recognition. I opened seventeen browser tabs devoted to indoor lightning generation and local electrical codes.
Unfortunately, the Celtics might still be good
Over the next few days, however, something strange began happening around me.
Nothing.
Celtics fans were still optimistic. Optimistic! At a time like this!
Nobody enjoyed watching Brown leave, and even the trade’s defenders needed a long inhale before saying “financial flexibility.” But the city had not collapsed. My neighbor had convinced himself George was about to have his healthiest season in years. The kid down the street discussed Chris Cenac Jr.’s ceiling like she had conducted his pre-draft workout. A man on the T asked why I wasn’t higher on Hugo González. I hadn’t said anything about Hugo González. Apparently, that was the problem.
Tatum was back. Derrick White was ready to rebound. Payton Pritchard looked primed for another leap.
Joe Mazzulla, of course, wasn’t ready to join the preseason group hug. As Noa Dalzell reported from Charleston, he offered the kind of disclaimer usually omitted from team-building exercises.
“Every team you lead is the most together team right now,” Mazzulla said. “Because we haven’t traveled. No one’s gotten benched. No one’s been on a losing streak. No one’s gotten blamed in the media. No one’s had to go stand in the corner for 10 minutes and not get the ball.”
That sounded suspiciously reasonable.
The Celtics haven’t proved anything yet. Neither have the Sixers. Beneath all the offseason noise, both teams are 0-0.
For Boston to succeed, George has to stay healthy. Tatum has to look like himself. Boston must replace what Brown provided. Still, the Celtics won 56 games last season while spending most of it without Tatum. White and Pritchard remain, and the younger guys are starting to look like players Mazzulla can wholeheartedly trust.
This was an irritating discovery. I had assumed Celtics fans were confident because nothing truly bad ever happened to them. Now several bad things had happened, and they were walking around like the Celtics had merely chosen a higher difficulty setting.
Boston had given them plenty of reasons to be miserable this summer. They were excited anyway. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d let Philadelphia off that easily.
The 76ers just had the offseason I used to sketch on napkins after my second drink. Part of me is desperate to get home, but another part remembers what being a Sixers fan does to the human brain.
New players only give Philadelphia fresh material. The first time Embiid puts his hands on his knees to catch his breath, someone will announce that he spent the summer doing nothing. A missed Brown rotation will become evidence of a chemistry problem. LeBron will leave an empty seat between himself and a teammate, and by halftime Sixers Twitter will have decided he wants that guy traded for Bronny.
Give us the greatest roster ever assembled and we’ll still wait for the ceiling to cave in. We may even start arguing about which player caused it before anything has actually fallen.
CAMDEN, NJ – SEPTEMBER 28: Jaylen Brown #7, Joel Embiid #21, LeBron James #23, Tyrese Maxey #0, and VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers pose for a portrait on NBA media day on September 28, 2026 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I looked at the weather app still open on my phone. Was I really trying to get struck by lightning so I could go back to worrying about Joel Embiid’s conditioning?
I closed it, along with every tab answering “Can a lightning bolt be manufactured safely indoors?”
Grant, if you are reading this in Philadelphia, cancel the trip to the clock tower. I hope you kept my fish alive. The plants in your place looked doomed before any of this became my responsibility, so that’s on you.
I hope you enjoyed the celebrations after the 3-1 comeback. I remain furious that you got Jaylen Brown and LeBron the moment I left town. If Philadelphia wins a championship while I am trapped inside a CelticsBlog writer, I will pursue every available legal remedy.
But the Celtics might still be good. Worse, I think I want to find out.
I’m not saying I’m never going back. I have learned my lesson about saying things like that.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 30: Vance Honeycutt #25 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the 2026 Arizona Fall League media day at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters!
The postseason continued last night with the American League teams back in action. In the AL Central ALDS, the Chicago White Sox staged a come-from-behind victory with three runs in the sixth inning to go ahead and stay there. Guardians’ starter Gavin Williams struck out 11 but lasted just five innings. The Guardians head into Chicago facing elimination, which is a shame. I don’t have a strong rooting interest for either team, but it would have been nice for the home team fans to see a win. I guess there’s always game five!
The AL East ALDS is not going well for the Yankees. After the Yankees were almost no-hit in game one and lost 1-0, they fell apart defensively in game two. Having watched a lot of Orioles baseball, I am familiar with bad defense, and I am confident in saying that the Yankees looked terrible. The Ray pulled off the win and have a 2-0 series lead. Tomorrow the Yankees could be swept in front of their home crowd.
While the AL is off to travel, the NL is back tonight. They’ve switched cities, so the Dodgers/Braves are in Atlanta with the Brewers/Padres in San Diego. The Padres are down 0-2, so they need a win to stay alive. The Dodgers and Braves have split the first two games.
Us Orioles fans have to settle for the Arizona Fall League. The Peoria Javelinas, the team hosting Orioles prospects, lost last night 10-7. But it wasn’t Vance Honeycutt’s fault. The center fielder had two hits, including a home run, and walk. He also stole a base.
Ike Irish and Brandon Butterworth are also off to a quick start. Irish, who missed much of the regular season with a torn meniscus, has three hits in two games, including a home run. And Butterworth has hit two doubles and has taken three walks in three games.
Two pitchers in the Orioles system have also appeared in the first three games. Do you remember Braxton Bragg? He had TJ surgery in July 2025 and didn’t pitch in 2026 until now. He pitched three shutout innings on Sunday with three hits and two strikeouts. And Kiefer Lord struck out four batters in two innings on Saturday.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies. Matt Wotherspoon’s (35) two-game MLB career happened with the Orioles in 2019. Radhames Liz (43) pitched in 28 games for the Orioles from 2007-09, then got another chance in 2015 with the Pirates. “Sweaty” Freddy García (50) played for seven teams in his 16-season career, including 2013 with the Orioles. Greg Walker (67) played the first 841 games of his career with the White Sox and the final 14 games with the Orioles in 1990. And Joe Frazier (not that one) played for three MLB teams in 1956, including the Orioles.
On this day in 1966, the Orioles defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-0 to take a 2-0 World Series lead. Jim Palmer pitched a complete-game shutout with four hits and three walks. The Orioles scored four runs off Sandy Koufax, but only one was earned as the Dodgers made a whopping six errors.
In 1969, the Orioles defeated the Minnesota Twins 11-2 to sweep the ALCS. Once again, Palmer pitched a complete game. He scattered 10 hits and two walks. The offense had 18 hits, with every non-Palmer batter picking up at least one. Paul Blair had five hits, including two doubles and a home run.
In 1973, the Orioles won game one of the ALCS over the Oakland Athletics, 6-0. Would you care to take a stab at who pitched the complete-game shutout? The Orioles scored three runs against Vida Blue in the first inning on RBI hits from Tommy Davis, Earl Williams, and Mark Belanger.
In 1974, the Orioles again played the A’s. This time, they lost. Dave McNally allowed two runs in 5.2 innings and the bullpen allowed three more. Thanks to key errors, one from Bobby Grich and one from Frank Baker, four of the runs were unearned. Baker had come in to play shortstop after Belanger was pinch-hit for.
In 1979, the Orioles defeated the California Angels in game four of the ALCS to earn a World Series berth. This time it was Scott McGregor with the GGSO. Ken Singleton had three hits and two RBI. Pat Kelly hit a three-run homer.
In 1983, the Orioles tied the ALCS 1-1 with a 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. Mike Boddicker struck out 14 as he, you guessed it, pitched a CGSO. Gary Roenicke reached base four times with a home run. Cal Ripken had two hits.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 05: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees bats during Game Two of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 5, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees have lost an ugly game in the ALDS yet again. As a result of another contest in which they were played off the field by a division rival, they are once again compelled to win three straight games facing elimination to keep their season alive. The Yankees have never won a postseason series under Aaron Boone as the underdog—and through two games their lifeless, gormless play has proven immune to the best-laid pitching plans of one of the most dominant pitching staffs in franchise history.
If you’re looking for a hero in this 5-2 loss at Tropicana Field, you’re going to have to keep looking. At least unlike Saturday there was a number above zero on New York’s side of the scorecard. Ben Rice provided those two tallies with a pair of home runs to right, the first of which provided a brief spark of hope that the Yankees might not totally butcher this thing—before they totally butchered it just two innings later.
Rice hit a flyout in his first at-bat, precipitating a perfect first time through the order for Rays starter Freddy Peralta. But his second time up promised a better future for this game and this series. Fastball Freddy, as the broadcast referred to him roughly a dozen times throughout the night, started Rice off with said fastball before abandoning it in favor of his changeup. He made three successive attempts to lure Rice into chasing the pitch—and his third try was successful to bring the count to 2-2.
That whiff seemed to further convince Peralta to stick with his change, especially knowing that Rice is one of the league’s best fastball hitters. So for the fourth straight time, he went changeup away—but he left this one in the strike zone, along the outside corner. Rice capitalized, shooting it over the right field wall for a game-tying solo blast.
Rice did his job effectively again when he came up for a third time in the fifth inning. With two outs, Austin Wells doubled off Peralta to spark a rally. Ryan McMahon followed by working a walk after falling behind 0-2, which ended Peralta’s night. Rice was the first man to face lefty reliever Cam Booser, and got nothing good to swing at. The southpaw pitched around Ben, who refused to expand the zone. He worked his walk to load the bases for Cody Bellinger, known for his track record of success against left-handed pitching. Bellinger very nearly found the go-ahead hit he was looking for with a long fly ball to center field, but Jonny DeLuca ran it down on the warning track.
Of course, the Rays benefitted from a Yankee pratfall routine immediately afterward, destroying all positive momentum and building a 5-1 lead. But Rice, outcome be damned, was gonna turn in another good at-bat. Facing Ian Seymour to lead off the eighth inning, he took a first-pitch sweeper for a strike, then unleashed a lightning-fast swing on an inside changeup. His line drive down the right field line snuck over the wall for his second homer of the night.
Rice could not spark a greater rally. The Yankees went down in order against Seymour right after that second homer, and put up no resistance against closer Bryan Baker. The Yankees are on the verge on another ignominious end to a strong season, but at the very least we can give a tip of the hat to their best hitter all year, who never gave in even as the rest of the team kept making the same familiar mistakes that routinely send this team home emptyhanded in October.
If a miraculous and frankly uncharacteristic series victory from down 2-0 is in the offing, no doubt Ben Rice will be one of the key reasons. The Yankees will need more than just him to hit, but his exceptional talent must also continue to be front-and-center for the Bombers to save their season.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 29: Philadelphia Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski looks on before Game Two of the 2022 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 29, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Then there’s reality baseball: Ohtani is a problem, not the solution, as the Dodgers head into Game 3 of the best-of-five NLDS tied with the Atlanta Braves at one game apiece.
In Game 2, which the Dodgers lost 3-2, Ohtani went 1-for-4 with an opposite-field single. The more alarming news: he had a chase rate of 53%, meaning more than half of the pitches he swung at were outside the strike zone.
His chase rate for the season is 30%, according to Baseball Savant.
Digging a little deeper into his performance in Game 2, Ohtani had 11 swings on 19 pitches, seven whiffs and a called strike and one hard hit, per Yahoo Sports.
De Paula got his first postseason at-bat in Game 2, pinch hitting for Tommy Edman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Dodgers trailing 3-2. He fouled out for the final out, but there’s reason to invest more at-bats in De Paula.
He made his MLB debut Sept. 11 and during the regular season went 10-for-31 (.323) with three doubles, a triple and a home run.
"He's just a special hitter," Roberts said last week, per the California Post. "(His skill set) lines up in the postseason. And no moment is going to be too big for that kid."
Ohtani jolt remains evasive
Knee soreness and bicep inflammation landed Ohtani on the 15-day injury list in September. He returned to the lineup Sept. 23, giving him five regular-season games to round into form.
But at the plate, the old jolt remains evasive.
During the final five games of the regular season, Ohtani went 5-for-21 (.238) with one extra-base hit (a double) and eight strikeouts. It’s been more of the same during the first two playoff games, with Ohtani going 2-for-8 with a couple of base hits and two strikeouts.
And what does Ohtani say about his physical condition?
"I haven't heard anything other than he feels fine,’’ Roberts told reporters after Game 2.
The sight of Ohtana at-bats calls that into question.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 05: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout after pitching against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning in game two of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 05, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s rare that a hitter feels in full control of a plate appearance. Hitting is an inherently reactive activity, with the pitcher in control of what pitch is thrown, how it’s thrown, where it’s thrown, even when and why it’s thrown. It’s even more difficult for the hitter to feel in control when facing a dominant pitcher, with elite arms attacking the opposition and making them feel as if they’re on the wrong side of an avalanche.
Which makes Monday’s offensive performance from the Rays all that more impressive. Facing the presumptive AL Cy Young Award winner, Tampa’s hitters were in control all night. They made Cam Schlittler sweat, they made him work, and in the end, they made him bleed. The end result was a 5-1 Rays victory, a commanding 2-0 series lead, and another Yankees season on life support.
Schlittler was coming off a stellar performance in a season consisting almost exclusively of stellar performances. He diced up the Red Sox in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, leaning on his curveball in a surprise manuever that left Boston gasping for air. Schlitter’s strategy wasn’t quite as curve heavy this time around, using it 18 percent of the time compared to 27 percent versus Boston, electing to go after Tampa with his trademark high-heat, three-fastball approach.
The Rays were ready. Tampa’s hitters have the flattest swings of any team in the league, which in theory should make them a tough matchup for Schlittler, with their swing paths putting the bat right on plane to make contact with Schlittler’s fastballs. In practice, Schlittler proved unable to overpower them.
Schlittler managed only seven swings and misses, a total he failed to reach just once during this magnificent season. The Rays struck out twice versus the right-hander, the lowest mark all year for Schlittler. Tampa’s hitters just never seemed uncomfortable facing the best pitcher in the American League. They never expanded the zone, rarely found themselves in unfavorable counts, and made hard contact in nearly every inning against Schlittler. The Rays’ swings always seemed to be on time, fair or foul:
It was a remarkable feat, to stare down the most intimidating pitcher in the league and to force him to blink, not vice versa.
On a day where his defense or offense backed him up, Schlittler still might have been able to make it work, to grind through five or six innings and eek out a win. Instead, New York played one of its sloppiest games ever, tallying a staggering four (later changed by the official scorer from five) errors in the span of six innings, three in the first frame alone. You can thank the Rays’ fast, aggressive play style in part, forcing the Yankee fielders to speed up:
George Lombard Jr. misses the ball and Chandler Simpson makes it 3-1 for the Rays 😳pic.twitter.com/FssNbFzLji
But the Yankees just failed to execute on defense in the most important game of the year, something that has happened before. Ryan McMahon booted the first batted ball of the game, Jazz Chisholm Jr. threw a ball away on an ill-fated attempt to turn two in the first, and in the fifth, George Lombard Jr. a committed a fielding error and also a throwing error that was later changed to a fielder’s choice, helping the Rays along to their four-run outburst that ultimately sealed the game.
Played under the haunting dome of Tropicana Field, it felt like the quintessential Rays game. They refused to strike out, put the ball into the field of play, and put pressure on the Yankees to make plays, pressure the Yankees wilted under. This strategy doesn’t work all the time (remember, the Yankees both scored more and allowed fewer runs than the Rays this year), but when it does work, it can make the opponent look silly for trying to win any other way. If you squint, the Yankees really could have won their way; in a 1-1 ballgame with the bases loaded in the fifth, Cody Bellinger hit a ball 103 mph off the bat at a 27 degree angle, a combination that produced a home run 57 percent of the time in the regular season:
But Bellinger’s particular batted ball was to the deepest part of the park, and it settled into Jonny DeLuca’s glove a foot in front of the wall. If Bellinger could have pulled the ball just a little more, if he swung just barely harder, the Yankees could have been the team that surged ahead 5-1. Instead, Bellinger was left with nothing but a loud out, and the Yankees imploded in the next half-inning.
Outside of the continued brilliance of Ben Rice, there’s just not much to hang your hat on here. The Rays executed about as well as they possibly could given the circumstances, and the Yankees couldn’t have played much worse. New York returns to the Bronx deservedly trailing 2-0 in the ALDS for the second season in a row, having been undressed on the road by a division rival each time. As dire as it seems now, the season isn’t over; we all remember what happened in Game 3 last year. But we also remember what happened in Game 4, which underscores how deep of a hole the Yankees find themselves in yet again. They’ll need to find a minor miracle and pull out three in a row against Tampa Bay, or else find themselves trudging once more into the cold winter.
On the site today, Jeremy names the Yankees player of the game from Game 2, which had only one possible choice. Also, Madison recaps the White Sox/Guardians matchup from yesterday, Jonathan profiles Ruben Sierra for our Yankee Birthday series, and Peter delivers his At-bat of the Week, which features George Lombard Jr.
Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz waves to the stands after retiring the side during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
When Edwin Díaz envisioned his first season with the Dodgers, it looked nothing like this. He was going to stay healthy all year, pitch like an All-Star. He certainly was going to throw in more than 21 regular-season appearances.
A slew of injuries, with mechanical issues layered on top, had other plans. But everything resets in the postseason. And against the odds, the right-hander is back in the closer conversation.
“It means a lot,” Díaz said in a conversation with the Times Monday. “Because I was nowhere, basically this season. They gave me the last week and a half of the season to come and pitch. And I was ready every day.”
If he can keep pitching the way he has since returning from the IL in September, it’ll strengthen the Dodgers’ chances at a three-peat. They went into the postseason with a closer-by-committee approach. But manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ workout at Truist Park on Monday that they could get to a consistent closer by the end of the postseason.
“Certainly that last outing was as good as we’ve seen him throw, and it’s hard to imagine throwing any better,” Roberts said of Díaz’s perfect inning against the Atlanta Braves Sunday, which included three fastballs over 100 mph. “We built him up, regained the confidence in himself. So, I think that it’s certainly a viable option for [Tuesday] night. I feel very confident [with] him finishing a game.”
Though his first postseason outing for the Dodgers was in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Díaz has been mainly in high leverage in his playoff career — he owns a 2.19 ERA in nine postseason appearances. The former Mets closer even recorded a four-out save at Dodger Stadium in Game 2 of the 2024 National League Championship Series.
“I don’t try to think, ‘Oh, there’s many thousands of fans here,” he said. “Just me against the hitter, and I trust myself. And like I always tell myself, ‘You are a warrior, you are you are the best, and go and compete.’”
The Dodgers’ closer situation has been in flux all year. They had signed Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract with that role in mind. And even when he missed three months for arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, and lefty Tanner Scott took over in the ninth inning, the spot was open for Díaz when he returned.
That was not the case after his second IL stint. And it was during that month-long road back that he finally re-found himself on the mound.
“I was like this maybe in the [World Baseball Classic] and first couple games early in the year before I got hurt,” Diaz said. “But now I feel way better than everything. So I think this is the best I ever felt this year.”
The process started with treating his neck. Díaz was feeling tightness around the front side of his right trapezius muscle, which could have contributed to Díaz dropping his arm angle. He received medication and needling therapy to address the issue, he said.
Trainers used manual manipulation to find Diaz’ ideal arm slot and build muscle memory, and he was quickly cleared to resume throwing.
“I’ve been doing that for so long, I just lost it for a little,” Díaz said of his arm angle. “And we’ve got a really good group of coaches right here, and they found it right away.”
Díaz began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City in early September. But it wasn’t smooth sailing. In his fourth outing, Díaz issued three walks and surrendered five runs in just two-thirds of an inning.
“I got mad at myself because I knew I was better than that,” Díaz said. “I wasn’t able to control my fastball. So after that game, I talked to the pitching coaches in Triple-A to say, ‘We need to find something because I want to be back in the big-leagues, I want to help this team to win.’”
They dug into Díaz’ biomechanics and found that his hip position was different from last year. When he’s right, Díaz explained, his leg lift starts with his hip. But he’d begun to rush the move, which caused his arm to lag behind.
He threw a bullpen with the adjustment and then took it into one final rehab appearance, a one-hit outing.
He sure was. Díaz posted a spotless ERA in six games down the stretch, limiting opponents to one hit combined. And that success carried into his Dodgers postseason debut.
“He’s put himself in a position to be the closer,” Roberts said. “And in October, I don’t pay too much attention to the long sample of a season in a lot of cases because in October things happen quickly, and you’ve got to be willing to read and react.”
For Díaz, the season may not have gone as planned, but his vision of the next few weeks is as clear as ever. He wants to record the final out of the World Series.
“I know how to control my emotions,” he said. “I learned that during my career, and I’m pretty good at that. I just can’t wait to be in that position, and if I’m in there, I will give my 100%.”
