After a three-game absence due to an illness, Warriors star Steph Curry officially will be back on the court when Golden State faces the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at Paycom Center.
Curry was not on the Warriors’ 1:30 p.m. PT injury report for their game against the defending NBA champions, which kicks off a daunting six-game road trip for a 6-5 Golden State team that certainly felt its star point guard’s absence.
The Warriors went 1-2 without Curry, falling twice on the road against the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets before defeating a short-handed Indiana Pacers team 114-83 on Sunday night at Chase Center.
After the win, Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters he expected Curry back for the road trip. The 37-year-old worked out Sunday night on the Warriors’ practice court, and again on Monday morning.
While Curry is set to return, Warriors center Al Horford is questionable with a left toe injury (management). That was expected, however, with Golden State set for back-to-back games against the Thunder on Tuesday and San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
Another exciting week has come and gone in the Association. Giannis Antetokounmpo hit a game-winner on the Pacers last Monday, the Lakers kept finding ways to win, Oklahoma City remained dominant, and the Pistons moved into first place in the Eastern Conference.
Injuries, new opportunities and stellar play have given us a new group of preferred pickups heading into Week 4 of the NBA season. Here they are!
→ Watch the NBA on Peacock on Monday night, as the Washington Wizards take on the Pistons in Detroit. The action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET!
Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder (36 percent rostered)
Mitchell’s wildly productive run may come to an end once Jalen Williams and Lu Dort get healthy, but for now, we’re going to let the good times roll! To start the season, Mitchell has been electric with averages of 17 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 triples. He’s started each of Charlotte’s last three games, averaging 20/5/5 with a pair of steals, and fantasy managers need to be on high alert. Even when the Thunder are back to full strength, Mitchell has played far too well to be phased out of the lineup.
Jusuf Nurkic, Utah Jazz (35 percent rostered)
With Walker Kessler (shoulder) out for the season, Nurkic is expected to occupy Utah’s starting center gig moving forward. Over the last four games (all starts), Nurkic has averaged 5.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.5 dimes, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocked shots across 26.3 minutes. His production was a bit sporadic in those games as two of them were blowouts, so fantasy managers should be ready for some peaks and valleys.
Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets (34 percent rostered)
Over the last three games, the rookie has erupted with 24.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and four triples, and he now leads all rookies with 16.4 points per game. He posted a season-best 30 points on Saturday against the Heat, and he’ll look to carry momentum forward into Week 4. With Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Collin Sexton banged up, opportunities should continue to be available for Knueppel, making him a strong waiver wire add. Fellow Hornet Tre Mann has also made the most of his increased opportunities, but his fantasy value is more closely tied to the availability of Ball and Sexton. Knueppel will still see plenty of run even when both Ball and Sexton are healthy.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets (31 percent rostered)
Kalkbrenner hasn’t been electric as a scorer or rebounder this season, but he’s been tremendous as a defender. Over his last five, Kalkbrenner has recorded one three-block game and four straight four-block performances, averaging 1.2 steals and 3.8 blocks in that span while shooting 74.1% from the field.
Jake LaRavia, Los Angeles Lakers (26 percent rostered)
Over the last two weeks, LaRavia has shown why he was such an important offseason acquisition of the Lakers. Across his last six games, LaRavia has averaged 16.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.7 triples across 32 minutes. His numbers will likely take a hit when Austin Reaves (and eventually LeBron James) return, but even then, LaRavia should remain a key part of LA’s rotation off the bench.
Trendon Watford, Philadelphia 76ers (19 percent rostered)
Over a four-game stretch leading into Sunday, Watford was a beast with averages of 15 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and a triple. On Saturday, Watford recorded his first career triple-double, posting a monster 20/17/10 line across 36 minutes against the Raptors. He finished with just 7/3/2/1 on Sunday, but Philadelphia will likely keep starting him at the four or at least give him plenty of run off the bench until Paul George returns.
Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans (18 percent rostered)
Over his last six games, the rookie has averaged a healthy 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.5 triples across 26.3 minutes per game. With Jordan Poole (quad) out for at least another week and Zion Williamson on the shelf for the same amount of time, expect Fears to see plenty of run for the foreseeable future.
Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets (10 percent rostered)
Cam Thomas is dealing with a hamstring injury that will keep him out for an extended period of time. Guys like Terance Mann and Tyrese Martin should see additional minutes, but Clowney looks like the biggest beneficiary from a fantasy standpoint. Clowney has started three straight games while averaging 17 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.3 triples. He should continue to pick up the slack for Thomas on offense.
Noah Clowney bullies his way to the rim and throws down a big-time dunk.
Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans (12 percent rostered)
With Zion Williamson out at least a week due to a left hamstring injury, Queen should see increased minutes until he returns. Over his last three with additional playing time, Queen averaged 12 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.7 blocks. He’s seeing minutes in the low 20s right now, but that should be enough to keep him viable in standard leagues. A bump in playing time would just be the cherry on top.
Tyson has scored in double figures in each of his last six games, averaging 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and a block in that span. He’s logged 28 minutes a game in that span with five starts, and while he may not stick in the starting lineup, the return of Darius Garland won’t knock Tyson completely out of the rotation. He’s done enough to remain a viable contributor off the bench, and he’s worth a look in standard fantasy leagues.
Others to consider: Tari Eason (36%), Zaccharie Risacher (23%), Isaiah Stewart (23%), Isaiah Jackson (17%), Jarace Walker (15%), Keaton Wallace (1%)
When Kent Hughes decided that Alexander Romanov was expendable and struck a deal with the New York Islanders for their first-round pick in 2022, he was doing it because he needed a second-line center. He thought the Chicago Blackhawks' Kirby Dach would be it. After three seasons and two significant knee injuries, whether he can be that player for the Montreal Canadiens remains in doubt. He has played in only 48% of the Canadiens' games since being acquired, making it hard to know what he can really do.
In his first season in Montreal, he showed some great flashes, and at some point, there were even fans ready to crown him first circle over Nick Suzuki. Needless to say, those days are long gone. This is the last year of the bridge contract Dach signed when he arrived, and that means this season is a significant one for him, and so far, so good.
When playing with Zachary Bolduc and Brendan Gallagher this season, he has six points in eight games, for a total of seven points in 12 matches. Projected on 79 games (since he’s missed three games so far), that’s a 46-point pace, which would be the highest total of his career. Since being reunited with Gallagher in the game against the Philadelphia Flyers, he has four goals in three games, and after scoring a beauty on the breakaway, he was shown on the Canadiens’ bench sharing a laugh with coach Martin St-Louis, which illustrates the good mindset he’s in.
At the faceoff dot, he’s got a 45.9% success rate, which is over five percent better than he has ever had in his career. On Thursday night in New Jersey, he won the five face-offs he took, which is an excellent sign of improvement. Speaking about Dach’s play this season on Saturday night, the coach said:
I was really happy he scored at the end . He’s another guy who I feel like is really trying to play with the right intentions, in terms of on the other side of the puck, and he’s getting rewarded. It’s so nice when a player’s really bought in, and working at it, and asking questions, and looking at video, and his actions are actually matching what he’s saying when he’s talking… His habits are matching what he says that he wants. It’s rare (players playing the right way) don’t get rewarded, especially with the tools that he has. The game almost becomes a little bit easier. Not that it’s easy, but easier in the sense that you’re always in the right spots, and when you do that, you’re going to touch the puck more. You’re not just working hard, you’re not just sweating, you’re actually playing with a lot of purpose on the ice. And that’s what he’s doing. And you want those players to get rewarded.
- St-Louis on Dach
Of course, 46 points in a season isn’t really worthy of a top-end second-line center, but Dach is improving daily, and it takes time for a player to get results when he plays the St-Louis way. Just look at Cole Caufield, who saw his goal production go down momentarily while he was learning to play the way his coach wants him to play. Speaking of Caufield, he had this to say about what makes the big center perform so well after the last game:
I'd say confidence, and you know, just him getting his legs back. I think, obviously, nobody truly knows what he's been going through the last couple of years, and that's the type of player we expect in this room. He's been doing that consistently for the past 5-6 games. It definitely makes our team a lot deeper, and I'm proud of him for how hard he's worked, and the success. There's more to come.
- Caufield on Dach
The sniper clearly believes there’s more to come from Dach, and it does seem to trend that way. There are already talks that his performance might be worthy of getting another try with Ivan Demidov on his wing, and while I understand the point, I wouldn’t rush it. Dach and Demidov are both doing well on their respective lines right now, and playing with Gallagher and Bolduc, there’s less pressure on Dach. I’m not advocating for never playing them together, but for now, with the team winning and their respective lines being productive, I’d stick to the current formula.
Somewhere down the line, they will be reunited. They have to, since it’s Dach’s contract year and Kent Hughes is higher on Dach’s ceiling, but there are still 67 games left in the season. That’s plenty of time, as long as he remains healthy, of course, but you can’t rush the process just in case he gets injured again.
Dennis Hildeby did as much as he could in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 5-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Fresh off a call-up from the AHL's Toronto Marlies on Saturday afternoon, the 24-year-old has seen 67 shots combined from the Hurricanes and Boston Bruins in the last two days. And he looked strong despite the .894 save percentage on Sunday night vs. Carolina.
"He made a lot of saves," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said after the loss. "I mean, we gave him, what, three breakaways in the second period? Maybe four, I don't know. I lost count. You know, (the loss) has nothing to do with the goalie."
What was going through Hildeby's mind when the Hurricanes were skating in all alone, one after another, in the middle frame?
"You just got to try and stop them. It's not going to look like that entire game. It's just for that certain moment that things aren't going that well, so yeah, we had some fortunate bounces there with the bar and the post, like I said."
Toronto was up in the game 4-2 before the Hurricanes stormed back with three unanswered goals. Carolina's 47 shots on goal were the most Hildeby has ever faced in his NHL career. Matter of fact, it's the most shots he's ever faced during his professional career in North America.
"They threw a lot of pucks to the net, which can get tough," Hildeby said. "We created some chances, but a couple of mistakes there from me there, on the third especially, which kind of messed up our two-lead there."
We don't know what Stolarz would've brought had he played on Sunday. However, we do know one thing: if the Maple Leafs need to go to Hildeby again at some point, I'd say there's confidence from Berube to put him in the net.
"Yeah, I mean, he's the reason why we had a chance to win the hockey game," said John Tavares. "I thought he was phenomenal. A heck of a job on the PK, especially in the third period too. Tight hockey game. So, he was great."
Below is more from Hildeby after the game on his performance, plus what it was like to be a part of the Hockey Hall of Fame game.
Q: Overall, how did you feel about your performance? A: Tough to analyze shortly after, but yeah, a lot of good stuff, but a couple of bad stuff too, which kind of cost us there, so yeah, it's tough to analyze.
Q: What were the mistakes in the game? A: I just forgot to stop the puck there. Yeah, I know a lot of shots, which was fun.
Q: A chunk of those shots coming from breakaways and giveaways, how difficult was that to deal with? A: Yeah, a breakaway is harder than a shot from the blue line usually, so it's definitely a harder chance, but I had some luck there with the post and the bar a couple of times.
Q: What was it like to be part of the Hall of Fame game, the ceremony or the game? What was it like to be part of a night like this? A: It was fun. I saw some great legends there. I wasn't really too sure about where I was supposed to stand. I didn't really know much before, but I had a ton of fun. It just sucks we couldn't get them a win.
Q: What was it like seeing Mats Sundin there? A: It's always a pleasure. I've run into him before. He’s quite a huge legend in Sweden and in Toronto, obviously, so it's always fun seeing him.
The New York Islanders snapped their two-game skid on Saturday inside Madison Square Garden, kicking off what’s to be a massive seven-game road trip through the heart of November.
For the final six teams on this road trip, it’s the first meeting of the season for the Islanders, all except against the Detroit Red Wings at the tail end of the trip. All six teams are at least two games above .500, and all but Detroit and Utah are in the top two of their division.
Starting strong against the struggling New York Rangers became almost a must-win for the Islanders, as the Blueshirts are currently the worst team they’ll face during this gauntlet away from UBS Arena.
Tonight, the first game will be against the New Jersey Devils, the last game in the Eastern Time Zone for 10 days for the Islanders.
The Devils have won three of their last four games, and will be a team that enjoys playing with speed in the same way the Islanders do. The key to surviving against them will be structured play, otherwise New Jersey can poke some serious holes in New York’s defense.
After tonight, the Islanders ship out west, beginning with a Thursday night game in Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights await. Through their first seven trips against Vegas, New York’s gone 4-3-0, with Vegas being a top team every year throughout their franchise’s history.
This year, Vegas added Mitch Marner, making a deadly team that much more dangerous.
The very next night, the Utah Mammoth plays host to the Islanders, kicking off what will be three-straight games against Central Division foes, all against teams with a record above .500.
It’s a quick turnaround for New York, bouncing between time zones for a road back-to-back against high-speed teams, something that could easily exhaust the Islanders.
Unfortunately for the Islanders, the road isn’t getting any easier after that. After just one off day, they’ll be in Denver for a Sunday night clash with Brock Nelson and the Colorado Avalanche. The game would be Calum Ritchie's first against the team that drafted him, too.
Colorado is 10-1-5 thus far, and on Saturday decimated the Edmonton Oilers 9-1. It’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the word.
In case you think it gets any easier, the Islanders close up the Western swing 48 hours later, squaring off with the Dallas Stars in Texas.
If you’re exhausted just thinking about playing Vegas, Utah, Colorado and Dallas, just remember those four games come in six days, with long travel dotting the way, including that time-zone switch between Vegas and Utah.
Every single point the Islanders can earn out west will be monumental, as the schedule is nothing less than a brutal gauntlet against some of the best teams in the NHL in an abbreviated trip.
It all ends next Thursday, when on the way back home from Texas, the Islanders fly northeast to Detroit, where the Red Wings host the Islanders. The Islanders pummeled Detroit 7-2 in UBS Arena on October 23, when Detroit came in on the second half of a back-to-back.
Last year, the Red Wings swept the Islanders, with all results coming in regulation.
Nothing’s a given about this road trip. If the Islanders can scratch a .500 or better record over the next six games, it’ll go a long way to keeping them in the fight.
During a compressed schedule due to the Olympics in February, survival over the long haul becomes the biggest key.
While obviously dominating on this road trip and going on a run would be the best-case scenario, it's a brutal stretch for any team. Just gritting out points to keep themselves afloat is the biggest key throughout this run.
After this stretch of games, the Islanders get rewarded with a seven-game home stretch, and 13 of their next 17 at UBS Arena, with the all 17 getting played inside the Eastern Time Zone.
It all starts tonight in New Jersey, with puck drop coming just after 7 o’cloc
Yankees GM Brian Cashman will head to the annual MLB GM Meetings, taking place in Las Vegas this week and speak to reporters for the first time since New York was ousted in the ALDS by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Many could see the 2025 season as a failure for the Yanks, after making it to the World Series a year prior, so Cashman and his front office will have plenty of questions to answer about how he plans to get New York its first championship since 2009.
It won't be easy, of course, as the Blue Jays and other American League upstarts like the Red Sox and Mariners are waiting to take their shots this offseason and in 2026.
Don't expect Cashman to lay his cards on the table at the GM Meetings. But we can glean something from when he speaks, whether it's about the needs of the team or where current players are on the depth chart.
Here are five questions Cashman should be asked this week...
One of the many questions Cashman received during his end-of-season news conference was about shortstop Volpe.
The third-year infielder had a difficult 2025, which -- whether manager Aaron Boone admits it or not -- was impacted by his injured shoulder. Volpe has since undergone surgery and will look to man the shortstop position when he returns sometime during the season. However, is Volpe's role as the starting shortstop in hand?
Cashman didn't commit to the shortstop position back in October, but he said he believes in Volpe and that there is still growing to do.
“I believe in the player, still. I think we believe in the player,” Cashman said. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t play with, on any level, all aspects of roster assessments. He’s 24 years old. I don’t think New York’s stage is too big for him, I just think he’s still finding his way. The age is something that there’s a lot of value to reminding yourself about.”
Jose Caballero is on the roster and probably has an inside track to break camp as the starting shortstop, but there are some intriguing options like Bo Bichette available.
Sep 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) runs to first base on a single during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Cashman has had some great trade deadline deals the last few seasons, and the addition of Chisholm in 2024 helped the team make it to the World Series. In Chisholm's first full season in pinstripes, he was even better, having arguably his best offensive season en route to an All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger.
But does that mean Cashman has the stomach to have extension talks with his infielder?
Chisholm will enter the final year of his contract in 2026, but an extension could buy out his final year of arbitration and keep the 27-year-old in the Bronx for a long time.
Cashman, however, is not one to give out extensions. But he should be asked if Chisholm is an exception, especially after the production he's provided and how selfless he's been, playing third base whenever asked.
What's the plan for the outfield?
Aaron Judge is the only name Boone can write in as a starting outfielder next season. Cody Bellinger opted out of his contract and will explore free agency, and Trent Grisham's contract also expired -- though the Yankees extended him the qualifying offer.
Cashman needs to fill out left field and center field, so what is his plan for them this offseason? The qualifying offer shows the Yanks are willing to bring Grisham back, but it doesn't guarantee his return. And then, how hard are they going to try and re-sign Bellinger? The former NL MVP had a great first season in the Bronx and said he'd welcome a return.
There's also the bevy of free agent outfielders, like Kyle Tucker, who are available. We don't expect Cashman to give away which of the outfielders he wants the most, but perhaps a hint of where he's leaning could be gleaned.
New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones (78) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark / Nathan Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images
Speaking of the outfield, the Yankees have two youngsters who could fill one -- or both? -- spots to start the 2026 season. Dominguez made the team out of spring training in 2025, but the young switch-hitter had growing pains at the plate and in the outfield. Once a highly-touted prospect, Dominguez's first full season in the bigs did not go the way the team had hoped.
It also didn't help that Grisham simply outplayed the youngster, taking away precious at-bats while New York was in the midst of maintaining a playoff spot.
Cashman should be asked if Dominguez is a part of their plans and whether he has the stomach to deal him.
And then there's Jones. The young slugger burst out in the minors last season, going on a power tear through Double-A and Triple-A. Cashman said that Jones "put himself in the conversation" of making the Opening Day roster, but how true is that? Also, is Jones a trade candidate if the outfield spots are filled up with external signings?
This could be the best time to trade Jones, whose stock has never been higher.
Do the Yankees have enough pitching to withstand injuries?
The Yanks will be without Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodon to start the 2026 season. While the team has viable arms, do they have enough to get through a 162-game season?
Max Fried will anchor a starting rotation that will likely include Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler. That's a lot of question marks that need to be answered.
The Yankees can sign a free agent starter like Dylan Cease, Michael King or Zac Gallen to help their bludgeoned rotation, which would possibly clear the way for them to trade some of their young arms.
Cashman is always candid when it comes to pitching, in that he can never have enough of it. Perhaps that's the case this offseason, and Cashman should answer that.
The Washington Wizards (1-9) go to Detroit to face the Pistons (8-2) on Peacock Monday night! it is a battle of two teams trending in different directions, but both with so much to prove.
The Pistons have won six consecutive games, including yesterday's 111-108 thriller over the 76ers in Philadelphia. This will be the third game in four days for the Pistons, which is the same for the Wizards, except Washington had Sunday off.
Washington has lost eight straight games and only two of those have come by single digits. The Wizards will have four nationally televised games, starting with this one, so I expect a hearty-effort from Washington after narrowly losing to Dallas on Saturday (111-105).
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a potential sweat or two! We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff. Odds courtesy of DraftKingsrecent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to watch the Wizards vs. Pistons live
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Game odds for the Wizards at the Pistons
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Pistons (-650), Wizards (+470)
Spread: Pistons -11.5
Total: 235.5
That gives the Pistons an implied team point total of 123.5 and the Wizards 110.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for the Pistons and the Wizards
Pistons
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobis Harris (OUT) — Isaiah Stewart is questionable
C Jalen Duren
Wizards
PG CJ McCollum
SG Kyshawn George
SF Khris Middleton
PF Julian Champagnie
C Alex Sarr
Injuries for the Pistons and the Wizards
Pistons
F Tobias Harris (ankle) was OUT for Sunday's game
C Isaiah Stewart (ankle) was OUT for Sunday's game and is listed as day-to-day
G Marcus Sasser (hip) was on the inactive list Sunday
G Jaden Ivey (surgery) is OUT for at least another week
Wizards
G Bilal Coulibaly (calf) is OUT for Monday's game
Important stats, trends and insights ahead of Wizards at Pistons on Monday.
Washington is an NBA-worst 1-9 ATS
Washington is 1-4 ATS as a road underdog
Washington is 6-4 to the Over, ranking tied 10th-best to the Over
Detroit is 7-3 ATS, ranking tied for 3rd-best
Detroit is 5-2 ATS as a favorite, ranking 8th-best
Detroit is 2-0 ATS as a home favorite
Detroit is 4-3 to the Under as a favorite
Detroit is 5-4-1 to the Under, ranking 5th-best to the Under
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Wizards to cover the first quarter spread in Detroit:
"Washington has trailed by 11 and 13 points in the last two games, but before that, led three straight first quarters over the Magic, Knicks, and Celtics. Teams don't get excited to play the Wizards, understandably, which means Washington sometimes gets out to quick starts.
Detroit is one of the worst ATS teams in the first quarter at 3-7 on the season, one spot worse than the Wizards (4-6). This is a nationally televised game for the Wizards, which is a bigger deal to them than the Pistons, since Washington will get less than five nationally televised games this season.
I expect Washington to come out, similar to the Nets on Peacock against the Timberwolves, and cover the first quarter spread of +3.5 to +4.5."
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pistons & Wizards game:
Moneyline: Pistons ML (high confidence)
Spread: Pistons -11.5 (medium confidence)
Total: Under 235.5 (low confidence)
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Back then, Stearns was blunt about how the Mets handled their in-season pitching woes (he said they should've done more) and repeatedly stressed the need for the club to improve its run prevention.
Stearns obviously won't lay out an exact blueprint regarding what the team plans to do this offseason, but his availabilities are generally candid and forthcoming, which makes his upcoming comments at the GM Meetings something to keep an eye on.
Here are five questions Stearns should be asked as things start to percolate...
Alonso and Diaz opted out of their contracts last week. And with free agency now open, they can sign with any team. In the case of Diaz, the Mets extended a qualifying offer that he will almost certainly reject.
The negotiation with Alonso last offseason was drawn out and didn't end until early February, when he agreed to a two-year deal worth $54 million that contained an opt-out after the first year of the deal.
First base options on the free agent market include Cody Bellinger, Josh Naylor, and Japanese stars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto.
When it comes to Diaz, who opted out of the final two years and roughly $40 million on his deal, it's possible he can be brought back by in effect tacking two years onto that contract at a similar average annual value.
With the Mets not having an in-house closer option, bringing Diaz back makes all the sense in the world.
Sep 19, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Brandon Sproat (40) follows through on a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
What is the team's appetite for trading top prospects?
In Stearns' first year at the helm, which began during the 2023-24 offseason, he made it clear that the Mets trading any of their most prized prospects at that point was unlikely.
After struggling while getting sporadic playing time over his first two full seasons in the majors, Brett Baty got a long look at third base this past season. And he excelled.
In 432 plate appearances over 130 games, Baty slashed .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, and two triples.
If Mark Vientos remains with the Mets for 2026, it's safe to believe he would be viewed as mainly a designated hitter option. That would seemingly leave Baty as the starter at the hot corner. But are the Mets prepared to hand him the job?
Stearns spoke a bit during his end-of-season news conference about the possibility that the offensive core could be shaken up. If Alonso leaves, perhaps that shakeup comes at first base. If Alonso stays, the easiest way to jolt the offensive core could be by making a big addition at either second base (Bo Bichette?) or third base.
When it comes to third, free agent Alex Bregman could be a nice fit, with him able to bring a plus bat, plus defense, and leadership.
Carson Benge and Jett Williams / Imagn Images/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
What's the plan in center field?
The Mets had serious issues in center last season.
Jose Siri suffered an early injury that kept him out for most of the year (and was DFA'd shortly after returning), Tyrone Taylor was strong defensively but had the worst offensive year of his career (70 OPS+), and trade deadline acquisition Cedric Mullins hit .182 with an OPS+ of 62.
Taylor is arbitration-eligible in 2026 and slated to make roughly $3.6 million, so it's safe to think he'll be back. But he's better suited as a backup.
If the Mets view Carson Benge or Williams -- who both ended the 2025 season with Triple-A Syracuse -- as the future in center, it's possible that future will arrive at some point during the first half of the 2026 season.
If the Mets decide to go the free agent route for a short-term answer, options they could explore include Harrison Bader.
Will the Mets consider free agents who have qualifying offers attached?
As a team that exceeded the luxury tax in 2025, the Mets' penalty for signing a player attached to the QO would be relatively severe, with them losing their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 MLB Draft as well as $1 million from their international bonus pool.
Bichette, Dylan Cease, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Ranger Suarez were all tagged with -- and will reject -- the QO.
Of those players, the ones who make the most sense for the Mets are arguably Cease, Bichette, and Schwarber.
And it's hard to make a case against the Mets chasing any of those players, even with the associated penalties.
John Elkann has say after Hamilton’s ‘nightmare’ verdict
Lando Norris plays down title talk after victory in Brazil
Lewis Hamilton has been told to “focus on driving and talk less” in a rebuke from the Ferrari president, John Elkann, which was almost certainly a reaction to Hamilton’s outspoken description of his first season with the team as a “nightmare”.
Hamilton has endured a difficult debut year with Ferrari, with the team underperforming and the seven‑time champion having a trying time adapting to a new environment and practices.
But it felt notable that the first person to reach him near half court was rookie Hugo Gonzalez.
Walsh and Gonzalez are two young players fighting for the same, sometimes-limited batch of wing minutes. And yet the two seemingly have bonded over their similar skillsets, and apparently have pledged to crank up the chaos factor whenever they touch the floor.
“The standard is to come in and play that hard, try to affect the game,” Walsh told reporters after Sunday’s win in Orlando.
Over the past three games, there’s been a noticeable shift in gears for the 21-year-old Walsh. He’s been relentless in attacking the glass for a Celtics team in desperate need of rebounding aid, and he’s been flying around on the defensive side, generating a whole bunch of deflections while playing steady defense.
The 19-year-old Gonzalez already has carved out his own defense-first role, and the Celtics continue to dispatch him against top-tier talent.
In a season where one of the top priorities should be developing young talent and identifying which of those players can fill rotational roles on Boston’s next title team, the early emergence of Walsh and Gonzalez feels as important as the Celtics being able to lean on the likes of Neemias Queta and Josh Minott in starting roles.
It’s clear how impactful Gonzalez eventually might be, even as coaches spend timeouts screaming at him about rookie mistakes. Walsh has had encouraging stretches during his first two seasons in green, but the last three games feel like the first time he’s really tapped into his full havoc potential.
Here are four ways the young wings are leaving their imprint:
Relentless on the glass
Over the last three games, Walsh is rebounding 20.6 percent of opponents’ missed shots. That’s the best defensive rebound rate on the team in that span, just slightly ahead of the 7-foot Queta (19.5 percent over last three games). Gonzalez isn’t far behind at 15.2 percent, the fourth-best on the team in that span.
Boston has one of the best first-shot defenses in the NBA, allowing 92.4 points per 100 possessions in the half court. The Celtics are also dead last in points allowed per miss, giving up 28.9 points per 100 missed fields goals, which is 5.2 points per 100 possessions higher than the league average, per Cleaning the Glass data.
Walsh has grabbed at least six rebounds in each of his last three appearances. He has 23 rebounds in 68 minutes of floor time in those outings.
Taking on defensive challenges
Despite being tasked with some tough defensive assignments, Walsh and Gonzalez have held up well on that end over the last three games.
Gonzalez had a part in four different Orlando turnovers during Boston’s second-quarter rally Sunday — all of them generated by simply fighting through screens and being in the right spots. He drew an offensive foul while running through a screen attempt, then harassed Desmond Bane into a traveling call by staying glued to his side throughout an entire possession.
Walsh is holding his defensive assignments to 43.5 percent shooting — or 4.7 percent below expected output — while defending 7.7 shots per game in that span. Gonzalez held opponents to 1.9 percent below expected output on 2.7 shots in that three-game span, with opponents routinely willing to move the ball instead of trying to shoot against him.
Walsh spent most of his floor time defending Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner during Boston’s double dip in Orlando. The duo combined for 8 points on 3-of-7 shooting with 3 turnovers and a blocked shot. Neither Banchero nor Wagner attempted a shot in the 20 possessions that Gonzalez was deemed the primary defender against them.
During Walsh’s postgame interview with NBC Sports Boston after Sunday’s win, Xavier Tillman popped over to give Walsh his defensive flowers.
“He’s the king of lockdown. He can guard anybody,” said Tillman. “The bigs, the littles, the wings. It doesn’t matter. Call Jordan, man, he’s your guy.”
Nothing but net (rating)
Walsh now leads the Celtics in net rating among regulars. In his seven appearances and 92 total minutes, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 22.3 points per 100 possessions.
Boston’s offense is 10.8 points per 100 better during Walsh’s floor time, and the defense is 12.2 points better with Boston’s defensive rating plummeting to 102.7 with Walsh on the court.
Of the 267 players in the NBA who are averaging 13+ minutes per game with at least five appearances, Walsh now tops the league in net rating. He’s right in front of OKC’s Alex Caruso (+21.3) and Denver’s Nikola Jokic (+19.7).
It’s a very small sample and includes a fair amount of trash time. But the Celtics also have a +18 net rating in Walsh’s 68 minutes over the past three games.
The only regular with a better number in that span? Gonzalez at +22.3 in his 38 minutes.
Given those individual numbers, it’s probably no surprise that, in the 44 minutes that Walsh and Gonzalez have shared the floor this season, the Celtics are outscoring opponents by a staggering 32.5 points per 100 possessions.
Those numbers were juiced Sunday in Orlando when Walsh and Gonzalez shared a lineup with Anfernee Simons during his first-half scoring outburst that saw the Celtics outscored the Magic by 12 points in a four-minute span.
That has helped Boston produce a sizzling 139.8 offensive rating when Walsh and Gonzalez have shared the floor. Their willingness to rebound has helped Boston go small and maximize offensive skill on the court around them.
Undeniably, a larger sample size is needed to know if Walsh and Gonzalez can maintain this sort of impact. Walsh seemed to be ready to kick down the playing time door coming out of training camp last season, but never quite harnessed the full-throttle nature required to keep him on the court. Now we have three straight games where he has embraced the speed and intensity necessary to keep him on the court.
Both Walsh and Gonzalez have had rough patches, sometimes flying around so fast that they make mistakes. But that sort of intensity has more often produced some inspired play.
Now both players simply have to stay in high gear.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Sunday that Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering, for allegedly rigging bets through their pitching in MLB games.
According to prosecutors, the alleged victims of the fraud are sports betting platforms, the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball (MLB).
The charges follow similar ones recently brought against Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Fame player Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones, who have all been accused of participating in fraud tied to sports betting or poker.
According to an indictment unsealed by U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr., for the Eastern District of New York, Clase began conspiring with an unnamed bettor in May 2023. Clase is accused of informing the bettor about the types of pitches he would throw in games—such as a slider on the first pitch or pitches slower than 95 miles per hour. The bettor allegedly relayed that information to others, enabling them to place bets and parlays based on Clase’s pitching. Clase then acted accordingly, including when the Guardians played the Minnesota Twins on June 3, 2023. In that game, Clase allegedly threw a slider into the dirt “well before home plate,” as described in the indictment, to ensure a bet was successful.
Clase, 27, is also accused of receiving kickbacks from the conspirators and violating MLB rules by using his cell phone during games to coordinate with bettors. The indictment details alleged texts sent by Clase and his co-conspirator during games, including messages where Clase asked if the bettor was “ready” before intentionally throwing a pitch into the dirt.
The indictment also refers to Clase electronically transferring money to a bettor. In addition, he was allegedly caught on camera by bank security withdrawing approximately $50,000 in cash from a bank on June 27, 2025.
Ortiz, who allegedly joined the criminal scheme in June 2025, faces similar allegations. Like Clase, the 26-year-old pitcher is accused of agreeing to throw certain pitches in exchange for payment. Ortiz also allegedly sent incriminating text messages and participated in electronic transfers of funds.
Further, Ortiz and Clase are depicted as coordinating the conspiracy. For example, on June 19, 2025, Clase allegedly sent Ortiz a photograph of a receipt for a wire transfer of approximately 90,000 pesos (roughly $4,900 under current exchange rates), along with an audio message instructing Ortiz to get his associates in the Dominican Republic to lie about the purpose of the funds.
Ortiz was allegedly directed to say, “this payment is for a horse. Payment for a horse. You got that?” to which he reportedly replied, “Okay, perfect.”
Clase and Ortiz are described as receiving $5,000 payments for throwing rigged pitches or arranging for them to be thrown—a modest sum compared to their salaries. In 2022, the Guardians signed Clase to a five-year deal worth $20 million. Ortiz earned $782,600 in 2025, per Spotrac.
Participating in bets is strictly prohibited by MLB, specifically under Rule 21, which calls for a lifetime ban of any player, manager, or coach who bets on their own team. Last year, MLB imposed such a ban on San Diego Padres third baseman Tucupita Marcano, whom MLB found had placed nearly 400 bets on baseball from 2022 to 2023. Clase and Ortiz had already come under MLB scrutiny for their suspicious pitches, with both being placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July as the league investigated.
However, Clase and Ortiz are not in trouble with the Justice Department for betting or merely attempting to fix the outcome by throwing errant pitches. Their alleged crime focuses on fraud and advancing a fraudulent conspiracy through electronic transactions and communications, with betting platforms, the Guardians and MLB among the victims.
They allegedly engaged in wire fraud conspiracy by scheming to defraud betting platforms and obtaining money from those platforms through “materially false and fraudulent pretenses [and] representations.” Clase and Ortiz also allegedly used interstate and foreign wire communications to advance their scheme.
They’re further accused of honest services wire fraud, a noteworthy charge that has played an instrumental role in the sports world of late. The DOJ used this against parents in the Operation Varsity Blues case. There, colleges were deprived of their employees’ honest services because admissions staff and coaches accepted parents’ bribes. Analogously, Clase and Ortiz are depicted as defrauding the Guardians and MLB by denying them their honest services through bribery and kickbacks.
Clase and Ortiz are facing serious legal trouble. While every criminal defendant is innocent until proven guilty, data indicates a harsher reality. According to Pew Research, only 290 of 71,954 federal defendants (0.4%) in 2022 went to trial and were acquitted, while 89.5% pleaded guilty. The odds of acquittal in a federal criminal case are typically bleak.
If convicted, sentenced to the maximum for each offense, and if their sentences were to run consecutively instead of concurrently, Clase and Ortiz could theoretically face 65 years in prison each. In reality, they’re unlikely to receive sentences nearing that length, but they could face significant prison time. The risk of imprisonment could eventually lead them to try to negotiate plea deals.
In statements released to the media, the Guardians said they will “continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.” MLB stated it “contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process,” and added that its investigation is “ongoing.”
Expect the Clase and Ortiz charges to ignite further debate about the availability of prop bets and similar forms of gambling, which can be difficult to monitor for integrity. Whether it’s a pitcher throwing a slow pitch in the sixth inning, a basketball player ensuring he doesn’t register more than three rebounds in the second quarter, or a tennis player making sure she deliberately hits the ball out when the score is 30-30 in the second set, all are vulnerable to athlete manipulation.
Sassuolo forward is rarest of beasts – a one-club man – and virtuoso display against Atalanta reinforced his hero status
The man with the moustache held his teammate in a headlock and stared down the TV camera lens. “Berardi!” he yelled, jabbing a finger at the back of his colleague’s bonce. “BE-RAR-DI!”
It felt like that moment in a kids’ movie when the big brother drags his meek sibling back into frame after beating up the school bully. Mess with him again and see what happens. Only, Tarik Muharemovic is nine years younger than Domenico Berardi. And it was the older player, again, who had spent this afternoon tormenting his peers.
On Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks ended their six-game road trip with a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. With a 3-2-1 trip, the Blackhawks are now 8-5-3 for 19 standings points. This latest victory put them in a top-three spot of the Central Division.
There have been many key contributors to this success, and one of them is Artyom Levshunov. The 2024 second overall pick has been great lately, as he is starting to show why he was such a highly touted prospect.
Levshunov's two assists against the Red Wings give him six on the six-game road trip. He is now up to nine in 15 games on the season. Levshunov is still awaiting his first career NHL goal, but that will come soon enough. The chances are there for both him and his teammates.
With the way his development has come along since the beginning of training camp, it is clear that Jeff Blashill has been great for him.
For one, Blashill moved Levshunov to the first power play unit when they were struggling. He replaced Sam Rinzel on the top unit, and they've taken off since. Levshunov finds lanes to make great passes to the forwards in areas where they can then make creative plays towards the net.
Since that move, the power play has taken off, including a 3/3 performance against the Red Wings on Sunday. Levshunov assisted on two of those three goals.
"He's definitely continuing to get better," Blashill said of Levshunov on Sunday after their win over the Wings. "Probably at the end of the game tonight, he got a little bit loose. We had a conversation earlier in the year about attacking the game and being assertive. He's a guy who plays on his instincts, and his instincts are good."
The head coach has trust in the player, which is paramount to his development if he is going to continue playing in the NHL over the AHL. Blashill runs the 11/7 strategy in most games, which is meant to help the young defensemen stay fresh. Levshunov has been the one to benefit most from this.
When the Blackhawks selected Levshunov second overall in the 2024 draft, they envisioned him being a guy who can play on a top pair for an elite team. Well, with Sam Rinzel and Alex Vlasic also there with him, there is no pressure. They can just roll out really good defensemen regularly.
Blashill won't go with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen forever, but it's helping Levshunov (and other young guys) grow into their NHL bodies. The impact being made on Levshunov is clear every game.
His compete, love for his teammates, and desire to be the best are all things he does on his own. Creating good habits to impact his game for the better is where Blashill comes in handy.
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The Florida Panthers will wrap up their four-game western swing on Monday night when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights.
Florida has won just one of three so far on the trip, though it can be argued that they've deserved a better result.
After kicking off the roadie with an embarrassing 7-3 loss in Anaheim, Florida put together one of their strongest outings of the season two nights later in Los Angeles, defeating the Kings 5-2.
Unfortunately for the Cats, they weren’t able to build any momentum on the victory, at least in the standings, due to them getting goalied by Yaroslav Askarov on Saturday night in San Jose.
Florida dominated the final 40 minutes of that game but couldn’t get the puck past San Jose’s spectacular young goaltender and ultimately had to accept the undeserved defeat.
Now, if the Panthers can wrap up the road trip with a strong, resounding win in a very tough building to play at, it would go a long way toward treating this adversity-filled expedition as a positive experience.
This game will also be the second and final meeting between Florida and the Golden Knights this season.
They previously locked horns just over two weeks ago, a game the Panthers were quite pleased with.
Sergei Bobrovsky, who is expected to start on Monday, turned aside 26 shots while helping the Cats to a 3-0 win over Vegas.
We’ll see if they find a way to pull off a repeat performance in a building that, for many of these players, comes with some pretty harsh memories.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s matchup in Vegas:
Photo caption: Nov 6, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defends the goal against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
Raphielle Johnson
