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Flyers Need Big Simon Edvinsson Trade to Shake Up Slumping Roster

If anything has become clear from the team's first three games of the season, it's that the Philadelphia Flyers are nowhere near ready to begin their ascent to the status of perennial playoff team.

In three consecutive games - all losses - the Flyers have been handily outplayed and out-shot by divisional opponents, and they generally look like a team that met each other for the first time right before puck drop.

It hasn't been all doom and gloom, of course, as Joseph Woll has been a real bright spot for the Flyers, and Matvei Michkov looked more like his usual self on Saturday night against Carolina after being reunited with Travis Konecny.

The talent remains in place, but the Flyers have objectively regressed and look completely overmatched. That falls on the coaching staff, but it's up to the players, too, to get ready and stay ready. By now, that should be a given for anyone who isn't a rookie.

"Other teams are going through the same thing," Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said of the shortened training camp and lack of practice time after Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina.

"Developing your game doesn't start, like September, and ends in June. It's through the summer. Hopefully, we had some guys working on their game, because the execution is really bad. It really is."

The Flyers are a young team with playoff aspirations, but all the good will they built last year with a fanbase that has been more than patient could quickly evaporate entirely if this skid continues.

The slumping roster would benefit from an infusion of talent that never came in the offseason, and perhaps more importantly, a kick in the pants to get the season going in the right direction after dropping cheap points to division rivals early on.

Flyers' opportunity for Simon Edvinsson trade

Simon Edvinsson would be a big upgrade for the Flyers... literally. (Photo: Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)
Simon Edvinsson would be a big upgrade for the Flyers... literally. (Photo: Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)

On Saturday, while the Flyers were playing the Hurricanes, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that RFA Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson now prefers a trade away from the team with his contract situation lingering into the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

"The team and the agents are not talking, but there is word today around the league that unsigned Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson prefers a trade from the Red Wings. He went to camp with no contract. On the eve of the season, he went back to Sweden, where's skating now," Friedman said on Sportsnet's "Saturday Headlines" segment.

"Now, I understand the Red Wings have made it clear to other teams that their priority is still to sign him. That is their No. 1 goal, but apparently his frustration at the entire situation has led him to indicate he would prefer a trade."

With all their struggles, this should be music to the Flyers' ears.

Before and during the offseason, the Flyers made clear their desire to make an upgrade on defense, though nothing ultimately came to fruition.

The Leo Carlsson offer sheet saga came and went to no avail, and that was it for the Flyers' offseason.

Now, though, the Flyers have an opportunity to take advantage of the Red Wings' plight, upgrade their defense, and take the big swing all in one go, proving to concerned Flyers fans that they won't stand idle amid a dreary start.

Edvinsson, 23, is a 6-foot-6 former No. 6 overall pick who has scored 16 goals and 56 points over the last two seasons, emerging as a top-pair complement to Moritz Seider on the Red Wings.

The hulking Swede can do a bit of everything in the vein of someone like Travis Sanheim, and his combination of size, youth, and ability makes him everything the Flyers would want in an addition to their defense.

Throughout their first three games, the Flyers have been bleeding scoring chances, and the injury to Rasmus Ristolainen may motivate the front office to bolster their defense before things get even uglier on the backend.

Players like Noah Cates, Tyson Foerster, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale are all without trade protection, and the Flyers have plenty of draft picks and prospects they can use in a deal, too, even though the Red Wings have reportedly been looking for assets that can benefit them now.

The Flyers have a myriad of options available to them, in any case, and this is the perfect opportunity to shake the complacency label and take action while sending a strong message to the rest of the group.

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Canadiens Take A Big Nap, Storm Back But Get Burned In The End

The Montreal Canadiens were back in action on Saturday night, taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pennsylvania. Martin St-Louis’ men started better than they did in Toronto on Tuesday, with Cole Caufield quickly putting them ahead, but momentum shifted after the hosts scored their first power-play goal.

The 6-5 scoreline may make it seem like a tough night at the office for Jakub Dobes, but while there’s one goal he most likely would like to have back, a comedy of errors unfolded in front of him for much of the game.

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Matheson Will Want To Forget That One

While Mike Matheson is often the defenseman the coach trusts the most, he seemed to labor throughout the game. The momentum flipped when he was sent off for interfering with Sidney Crosby in the first frame. One could argue the Penguins captain should have gotten a penalty for roughing, given how he reacted, but most of the Canadiens’ woes were self-inflicted.

Then, the veteran didn’t close down Declan Carlile on the Pens’ second goal and was dispossessed twice on the fourth. He was also on the ice for the Pens’ last two goals, but he wasn’t responsible for either. The Pointe-Claire native had a very rough night. 

There’s Something About The Second

Both teams were tied at 1-1 after 20 minutes, but once again, the Canadiens went for a nap in the second frame, leaving Dobes to fend for himself. The Pens put 15 shots on net in the period, while the Canadiens could muster only seven. Granted, Dobes could have had better rebound control, but with the panic around the net, it can’t have been easy to keep a cool head.

St-Louis often says that his players’ intentions were good, but that wasn’t the case tonight. The Habs made so many lazy plays and bad reads that they asked for trouble. They didn't keep it simple or play it safe in any of the three zones, but the neutral-zone turnovers really were their undoing. The coach summed it up best when he said:

We shot ourselves in the foot throughout the second. […] I’m pleased with the fight back in the third; we managed to get a point out of the game, but I don’t think we deserved two.
- St-Louis on his team's performance

We’ve heard time and again that the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Habs in the Eastern Conference Final because Rod Brind’Amour’s side plays a detailed game, but playing 60 minutes isn't a detail; it’s a minimum requirement. 

First Line On A Desperate Mission

If the first line didn’t have a good game Tuesday night, the Nick Suzuki and Caufield duo seemed everywhere tonight. Caufield scored the first goal of the game, Suzuki scored the goal that gave the Canadiens a bit of hope in the dying minutes of the second, and Caufield scored Montreal’s first goal in the third frame. Montreal scored its last two lamplighters with six players on the ice, but Suzuki got the primary assist on both.

Caufield finished with a plus-3 rating while Suzuki was plus-4, and the captain was also named the second star of the game with a goal and three assists, but he clearly wasn’t pleased in his post-game presser. The points that really matter are the two that were on the line Saturday night, and Montreal lost one.

Since 2024-2025, the Canadiens have the most comeback wins in the league with 48, which is quite impressive. However, the truth is: they need comeback wins because they consistently dig themselves into huge holes.

Quick Shots

Chris Kreider scored his first goal as a Hab tonight, with a one-timer from his office in traffic. He finished the game with two points and had a good night overall.

Alexandre Carrier left the game after a bad fall in the first frame; his back was slammed awkwardly into the boards, and while he kept going for a bit, he had to call it a night.

The Canadiens have a day off on Sunday, but chances are the coaches will be very busy, not only watching what happened during the game but also trying to finally find a way to get a full 60-minute effort out of this team.

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Open Thread: Tobias Harris trained with George Gervin

SAN ANTONIO, TX -SEPTEMBER 28: Tobias Harris #23 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for photographs at the San Antonio Spurs Media Day at Victory Capital Performance Center on September 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tobias Harris joining the Spurs seems like a perfect summer acquisition, and it just got better.

Tobias Harris described his bond with George Gervin:

“When I was young, I used to come to San Antonio to train with George Gervin. He and my father (Torrel Harris, an NBA agent) are very close. George is practically like an uncle to me.

So, when I signed here, he was one of the first people I called. I told him, ‘I’m coming to San Antonio.’

He’s my guy. I’ve been in touch with him since I was really young—probably since I was 5 or 6. I used to come here to train with him at his academy.

I’d say he’s probably my only real connection to San Antonio, but now, I’m looking forward to my family and me becoming part of the community.”

Torrel Harris started Unique Sports Management, now Unique Sports Management International (USMI) in 1988. Tobias grew up around the game and was drafted nineteenth overall in 2011.

Looks like San Antonio may be an excellent fit on multiple levels.

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Three scenarios: What history says about the Wizards this season

Can the Washington Wizards end the tank? With Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and DeAndre Ayton onboard, here are 3 historical paths and what each would mean for 2026-27. | NBAE via Getty Images

After a brutal stretch of losing by design, the Wizards are going to try to start winning this year. The past three seasons, the team totaled 50 wins — tied with the 2021-24 Detroit Pistons for the 10th worst three-year stretch in NBA history.

The worst stretch belongs to The Process Philadelphia 76ers, which went 37-109 from 2013-16. That’s a .150 winning percentage. That got them six trips to the second round of the playoffs in the years since. The last player still around from all that tanking is the creaking, disintegrating, brittle Joel Embiid.

While cratering the franchise for multiple seasons had become such a prevalent rebuilding strategy that the league finally imposed draft lottery rules to put an end to the practice, the reality is it takes a long string of roster moves (draft, sign, trade) that work and a liberal dose of good luck to build any team into a title contender.

Can the Washington Wizards end the tank? With Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and DeAndre Ayton onboard, here are 3 historical paths and what each would mean for 2026-27. | NBAE via Getty Images

This isn’t me just tapping away — rebuilds are difficult and complex, and big leaps from a bottom dweller are relatively rare. Last season, the Wizards had the NBA’s worst record — just 17 wins. Based on history, what’s realistic for the team this season? Scanning back through time, three paths emerge:

  1. The Stagnanation — Think the multiyear tank — where the Wizards, Jazz, and process Sixers were. This is what Washington is hoping to graduate from. Another sub-20 win season would be unbearable. Teams in this phase would typically “improve” by up to three wins, though another season at the bottom of the rankings would be fairly normal.
  2. The Norm — Teams that finish at the bottom get high draft picks and accumulate young talent. Where building a title contender takes a long sequence of good decisions and good luck, continuing to lose when given prime opportunities to add top-shelf talent takes the opposite. That said, it takes a special rookie to transform a persistent loser into a winner, though normal improvement from young teammates and some well-time veteran additions can yield a meaningful uptick in team record — from 4-9 wins.
  3. The Transformation — This happens in two (and only two) situations — if a previously good team fell because their star player (or players) missed all (or virtually all) of a season due to injuries, OR if a team gets freakishly lucky in the draft lottery. The Indiana Pacers are likely prime candidates for this kind of bounceback. The San Antonio Spurs famously hit both these criteria when David Robinson missed a season with a back injury, and they landed Tim Duncan in the lottery. Teams in this category could add 15-25 wins the following season.

Which scenario is most likely? We can safely dismiss scenario No. 1. The Wizards are going to try to win, and it would take an incredible string of injuries to several players for them not to improve. It’s possible though extremely unlikely they’ll manage just 15-20 wins again.

That leaves the other two — normal improvement or a major step forward. My lean is towards a hybrid of scenarios No. 2 and 3. The team has accumulated talented youngsters, at least some of whom should improve to some degree this season. That’s The Norm.

It’s also added three significant veterans without giving up any core youngsters — Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and DeAndre Ayton. That’s akin to adding back star players who missed the previous season. Last year’s team wouldn’t have gone 17-65 if they’d had Davis, Young, and Ayton available. Not no way, not no how.

Adding those three plus top pick AJ Dybantsa adds a lot of firepower to the roster, and should allow youngsters to slot into more natural roles. This should give the team a significant boost on both ends of the floor. But, Davis has missed a lot time due to injury throughout his career, and Young appeared in just 15 games last season.

Davis’ health is The Wildcard. If he manages 65 games, the Wizards could enjoy a transformative change. If it’s 45-50 games…they’re more likely in The Norm range.

So what does that mean? Last season, the Wizards managed 17 victories.

  1. The Stagnation | 17-20 wins — This would be brutal — it would mean many injuries, and youngsters regressing instead of improving. It might well mean wholesale changes to the roster, coaching staff, and front office.
  2. The Norm | 21-26 wins — This range would also be painful, but there’d be positive signs and fnas would have reason for hope. The most likely way this happens is if Davis and Young get hurt, and the team rides normal incremental improvement from the kids. Watching Alex Sarr, Dybantsa, and Kyshawn George or Bilal Coulibaly lead the team to 25 wins could be somewhat rewarding.
  3. The Transformation | 32-42 wins — This would take good health and career norm performances from the veteran stars plus normal development from the kids. This is also what it would take for the Wizards to even make the play-in this season, especially in a deeper and more competitive Eastern Conference.

Sports books are anticipating scenario No. 3 — the over/under for wins is 34.5. They’re usually in the right ballpark, though it’s worth mention that this scenario is rare. Improving by 25 wins from one season to the next has happened just 16 times in NBA history.

The San Antonio Spurs have done it three times! Leaping by 35 wins when they got David Robinson onto the floor, by 36 wins when they drafted Duncan and got Robinson back from injury, and by 28 wins last season.

The biggest single season improvement was 42 wins by the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, which traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The Celtics also have a 33-win leap, which happened when Larry Bird joined the team.

The only other team to jump by 30+ wins in a single season was the 2004-05 Phoenix Suns, which added free agent guard Steve Nash.

With some freakish good health, the Wizards could conceivably improve by 30 wins or more next season. History says 12-15 is more in the realm for the optimistic realist. That probably leaves the Wizards just outside the play-in, though with a more entertaining and interesting product on the floor.

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MMBets: The Wolves Go All In

I like Minnesota’s roster a lot. I also think this is one of those teams where the over could look great for two months and then completely fall apart because one injury changes everything. The LaMelo Ball trade raised Minnesota’s ceiling, but it also came at a real cost. The Timberwolves traded Naz Reid, Julius Randle, and major draft capital to get him, then added Jonathan Kuminga and Cody Williams to rebuild the forward rotation.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Over/Under 48.5 wins

Over: -110
Under: -115
To win NBA Championship: +3000
To win Western Conference: +1400
To win Northwest Division: +1100

Last season: 49-33, sixth in the West, lost in the second round

Key additions: LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga, Trey Lyles, Cody Williams, Isaiah Evans
Key losses: Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson, Sandro Mamukelashvili

The under case really comes down to how much Minnesota lost and how much it is now relying on two stars who have had injury problems.

Edwards only played 61 games last season after being much more durable in previous years. LaMelo has struggled to stay on the floor throughout his career. Minnesota is now counting on both of them not only to stay healthy, but to carry a huge amount of the offense.

That is risky when the line is 48.5.

The other thing I keep coming back to is the loss of Reid and Randle. Reid gave Minnesota shooting, size and lineup flexibility. Randle gave them another legitimate creator and rebounder. Those are not small departures. Kuminga is talented, but he has never really found a consistent role, and Cody Williams is still young. SB Nation’s preseason look at Minnesota basically framed this roster as boom-or-bust for that exact reason: the Wolves traded proven depth for more upside.

I still think Minnesota is good. LaMelo should make Edwards better, Gobert keeps the defensive floor high, and McDaniels is still one of the league’s better defenders.

I just think this roster has less margin for error than last year’s.

If Edwards or LaMelo misses 15 or 20 games, or if Kuminga does not fit cleanly, this could easily become a 45- or 46-win team in a loaded West.

That would still make Minnesota dangerous in the playoffs.

It would also cash the under.

Prediction: Under 48.5 wins (-115)

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2026-27 Atlanta Hawks player preview: The two-ways

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Rayj Dennis #00 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As we embark on a new Hawks season, it’s time to preview the members that will shape the next nine months or so.

The Hawks have all three of their two-way spots filled, but these contracts don’t count against the salary cap and so these spots are often subject to movement throughout the season. Still, two players are familiar faces to the organization, and a third has a decent amount of NBA experience for young player.

As such all three possess enough tangible upside that they could earn themselves a full standard contract before the end of this upcoming season.

PG — RayJ Dennis

RayJ Dennis is back after signing a two-way contract with the team last December. He only appeared in four games with the Hawks, but in 31 games with the College Park Skyhawks, he averaged 24.3 points, 10.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 45% from the field and 37% from three.

Had Dennis had enough games to qualify for the G League leaderboard, his points per game and assists per game marks would have ranked sixth and second in the league respectively.

As a 6’1” point guard with no issue getting buckets against G League competition, the real question is how his skillset translates to the NBA level. There’s no doubt that his size is an obstacle to overcome on both ends of the floor, but after waiving Devin Carter and trading away Ryan Nembhard, there could be minutes available for the young point guard.

At media day, Dennis had this to say about how the Hawks are approaching his development, “[h]elping me get better and making sure I’m ready for any opportunity and hopefully a bigger role coming this year.”

PG/SG — Keshon Gilbert

The off guard to Dennis’ primacy on the ball, Gilbert is an athletic, downhill scorer who averaged 20.1 points per game in nine games with the Skyhawks.

“Me and RayJ [Dennis], we been knowing each other for a while,” he had to say at media day about his College Park backcourt partnership. “I worked out with him in St. Louis before. Played against him in college. Me and RayJ, we got history, so it was easy. We [are] two unselfish players, and at the end of the day both of us want to win. That’s why we click so good on the court, I feel.”

Gilbert signed a two-way contract with the Hawks just ahead of the deadline to do so on March 3rd. From that date until the end of the Skyhawks’ season, the team went 8-2 largely behind their explosive guard duo.

Can that carry over to the Hawks this season?

The biggest worry is that Gilbert is just a career 24% shooter from three in the G League as a 6’4” guard and often needs the ball in his hands to be most effective. I think he’s slated for another year mainly in the lower league, but his familiarity with the program should give him a leg up in his development journey.

SF/PF — Jalen Wilson

You can never have enough forwards named Jalen.

Wilson was drafted 51st overall to the Nets in 2023 after a standout career at Kansas before spending three seasons with the team — first on a two-way contract then later on a standard contract.

Wilson brings 176 games of NBA experience to Atlanta, all with the Nets. He wasn’t asked to do much with the ball in his hands other than to shoot catch-and-shoot threes (career 36% shooter from deep). Often deployed as a small ball power forward with Brooklyn, at 6’6” he may shift up and defend more opposing wings with the Hawks and Skyhawks going forward.

On why he chose to sign with the Hawks this offseason, Wilson responded at media day, “I just saw the group of guys and saw the work ethic. I saw how hard they played in the playoffs. The type of fit that I can have. A lot of good wings here. Playing around guys like Jalen [Johnson], he’s been able to be in a in a position to make guys better.”

If I had to choose, Wilson would be the player of this trio that has the best path to rotation minutes because of his prior NBA experience as well as his ability to fit into lineups as a 3-and-D wing or forward. Wilson even went so far as to label himself ‘3-and-D’ later on at the same press availability.

New additions like Lu Dort and Dorian Finney-Smith are among the most well-regarded NBA players of that archetype, so there may be no better examples than the ones he’ll be practicing every day against going forward.

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Phillies news: Trea Turner, Don Mattingly, Adley Rutschman

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: The Atlanta Braves grounds crew prepares the field before Game Three of the Wild Card Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Turns out that maybe pursuing Munetaka Murakami may have been the right idea for the Phillies after all. His first career playoff home run led the White Sox to victory and showed other teams yet again that they made a mistake in not going harder after him.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

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Swanson: Dodgers' ace-filled rotation affords them the audacity to reveal next-round plans

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 9 at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 9 at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers are better than you. They’re smarter than you. They’re richer and deeper and more popular than you. You know it, they know it, there’s no point pretending otherwise.

So, yes, they went into the National League Divisional Series looking past the threadbare Atlanta Braves and thinking about the National League Championship Series.

Who does that? In the playoffs?

Your two-time World Series champions with the world’s best starting pitching rotation and a 1-0 NLDS series lead, that’s who.

The way the Dodgers did the math, it made sense to save their ace of aces, Yoshinobu Yamamoto — who last postseason went 5-1, had an ERA of 1.45 and 33 strikeouts in six appearances and won the World Series MVP — for Game 3 of the NLDS.

Read more:Plaschke: Kyle Tucker becomes unlikely NLDS hero with Dodgers poised for series sweep

Not for the tone-setting Game 1 and, potentially, Game 5 on regular rest.

But Game 3.

Because to the Dodgers, that’s not even much of a calculated risk. It was a math problem specific to them, before they beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in Game 1 in 100-degree heat Saturday afternoon.

They figured they’d be able to throw two consecutive left-handers at the lefty-averse Braves lineup, starting Saturday with recently acquired two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, followed Sunday by Blake Snell, also a two-time Cy Young winner.

Additionally, this way they could have Yamamoto pitch Tuesday on the road, where his ERA is 1.77 instead of at home, where it’s 3.13. And where he’s given up 14 home runs compared with six on the road, where he’s made four fewer starts.

But mostly the Dodgers’ calculus was that having Yamamoto pitch Game 3 means it will line up so that they’ll have him for Game 2 in the NLCS and, if necessary, Game 6 against the Milwaukee Brewers or San Diego Padres. (Or, if you really want to plan ahead — and the Dodgers with their leaky bullpen absolutely should not — for Game 1 of the World Series.)

“That just sets up the rotation and Yamamoto better looking forward,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained before Saturday’s game.

“Not discounting this series, because you’ve got to win this series first, but you start from the fact that they’re all going to pitch — the three [Skubal, Snell and Yamamoto] are going to pitch for sure ... and then what sets them up going forward.”

It feels like a faux pas, to be that forward-thinking, and to be saying the quiet part out loud!

“If you can kind of line it up in such a way to give guys ample rest, it puts you in a better position for more options down the road,” Roberts said. “That’s kind of some of the math we had.”

I mean, it adds up. And for these Dodgers — whose fourth starter, Tyler Glasnow, was a key cog in last year’s World Series-winning rotation — it’s a fair assessment.

Read more:'He's a competitor.' Tarik Skubal's dominant outing stakes Dodgers to NLDS Game 1 win

Though it’s nice of Roberts to pay enough lip service that he’s not totally discounting the best-of-five current series they’re in.

Predictably on Saturday, Skubal, who previously had a 2.04 ERA, a 0.73 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 39⅔ playoff innings for the Detroit Tigers, brought his own October heat.

The 29-year-old from Kingman, Ariz., gave up just one run and two hits, walked two and struck out seven — giving him 64 in the postseason, the second most in his first seven postseason appearances behind only Bob Gibson (74), per MLB’s Sarah Langs.

Skubal retired 15 consecutive, hit 101 on the radar gun in the second inning and didn’t have a three-ball count until the fifth inning.

“We knew,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said, “it was going to be a rough ride.”

But Weiss did not know, immediately after Saturday’s loss, when he’d be able to deploy his sole ace, 37-year-old Chris Sale, the 10-time All-Star who just pitched in the Braves’ Game 3 wild-card closeout.

“To me it’s not that big a deal when he pitches,” Weiss said. “The Dodgers can’t win it in two.”

A true statement and a matter of fact: The Dodgers can’t win in two, but they’re not shy about expecting to win.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers are forcing Braves to make tough decision about Chris Sale

“It’s prudent to kind of map out potentially how they could line up,” Roberts said Friday. “And that’s just doing your due diligence.

“We are very fortunate because we have four guys essentially that you could really kind of pick through to figure out what’s the best way to deploy all four starters, that’s the exercise. But it starts with having four talented guys.”

Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, reveled in the notion that his club might actually be disproving the rule that you can never have enough pitching — at least when it comes to their elite quartet of starters.

And that, Friedman said, “is very impactful for quality of life.”

And the Dodgers aren’t afraid to say it.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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ALDS Game 1 Player of the Game: Gerrit Cole

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 03: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

“Kevin, can you pick up the Player of the Game for Game 1 of the ALDS?”
“Sure… I hope I can write about Gerrit Cole going eight shutty.”

Baseball can be a cruel sport. I suspect we all would have signed up for five innings of one-run ball from Gerrit Cole at The Trop Saturday night. That’s the kind of thing that the vast majority of the time would have put the Yankees in great position to steal home-field advantage from the Rays.

The above is exactly what we got from Cole. Unfortunately, on the other side Drew Rasmussen was basically untouchable, toying with a formerly hot Yankee offense. Cole being merely excellent was therefore not enough. But on a night when nary a hitter was worthy of being honored, Cole’s sterling five innings makes him the Player of the Game, albeit in a losing effort.

His final line: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

At the end of the day, Cole made one mistake all night, in the third inning – a 2-2 changeup middle-away to Jonathan Aranda that the Rays lefty turned around and drove out to right center for a solo home run, the lone run either team scraped across Saturday. I don’t even hate that location. Just have to tip your cap to Aranda to a certain extent.

Otherwise, Cole gave the Yankees everything they could have asked for, other than perhaps more length. Though the venerable ace was only sitting at 82 pitches through five innings, so likely could have come back out for another frame if needed. But with a fully rested bullpen in a one-run game, it made sense for manager Aaron Boone to be aggressive. To give the skipper his due, his moves worked, and the ‘pen held Tampa scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Much was made coming into Game 1 about the increased induced vertical break (IVB) on Cole’s four-seam fastball at The Trop versus in outdoor environments, where the wind can mess with it. Reportedly, the way Cole’s stuff plays indoors was a key reason for going with him in Game 1.

Since joining the Yankees, Cole’s heater has averaged 19.3 inches of IVB inside Tropicana, compared to 17.7 inches at Yankee Stadium. Saturday, it averaged 17 inches of IVB, down considerably from his average while pitching in Tampa. Despite that drop, the pitch remained effective nonetheless.

Cole got seven whiffs on 27 swings at his heater, and averaged 96.8-mph with it, maxing out at 98.8-mph. Three of his five strikeouts came on the offering, including a 96-mph fastball to Victor Mesa, Jr. that looked like it was still rising as Mesa swung through it.

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The curveball was Cole’s secondary weapon Saturday, especially against lefties (he threw the pitch 27% of the time when facing the platoon disadvantage). He racked up his other two strikeouts with the pitch, including one up in the zone that turned Junior Caminero’s knees to jelly.

Cole’s outing on Saturday moves his career playoff ERA since joining the Yankees down to 2.85 in 72.2 innings. Hopefully, he’ll get to appear again this postseason, whether later in this series against the Rays or against an AL Central foe in the ALCS, to bring that already nice ERA even lower.

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Max Verstappen wins chaotic F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia after rain causes farcical scenes

  • First win of season for Dutchman after long rain delay

  • Heartbreak for Russell as power units struggle in weather

Max Verstappen won a chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia with a dominant drive for Red Bull, his team’s first win of the season, beating the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli into second. The Italian’s teammate and title rival George Russell was forced to retire with five laps to go leaving the British driver’s title hopes shattered and Antonelli within touching distance of the championship.

Lewis Hamilton was third for Ferrari, making a remarkable comeback after a torrid afternoon, starting on the slick rubber tyres in the wet which dropped him as far back as 17th before reviving with a superb drive, including a late pass on Isack Hadjar who finished fifth. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fourth after a race marked by farcical scenes before it was even underway. This season’s engine formula was found sorely wanting the first time it was tested in wet conditions.

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NRL grand final 2026: Sydney Roosters 19-18 Newcastle Knights – as it happened

The first wave of Knights successes came against a backdrop of uncertainty about what a post-industrial future might mean for the steel city. Two decades on, for better or worse, working-class Newcastle is now safer, more confident and outward-looking; also more expensive and exclusive.

DCE has spoken to Channel 9 about the enormity of the occasion.

To be honest, just because of the occasion of the grand final, it’s been really easy to put it to the side. I feel like the moment I’ve made it all about myself at any time of my career, it’s never really worked out too well. So real team focus today.

Yeah, really good. The longer turnaround I feel really helped us. We were able to get extra recovery in and then build our week really nicely. So I feel like it was a great week of preparation. And now it’s just trusting that to go out and play… it’s not about any storyline for us tonight. It’s just about getting the job done.

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Great pitching beats good pitching as Yankees miss huge opportunity

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 03: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Entering the playoffs, the Yankees knew they’d have to win their share of tight, low-scoring games if they wanted to advance deep into the playoffs. You know, the type of games that became their trademark during the second half of the season, as the offense floundered without Aaron Judge but the team still surged in the standings thanks to a fistful of 3-2 and 2-1 victories.

That was the kind of the game the Yankees had to win last night. Instead, the Rays staff executed just a hair better, and New York will turn to their ace in Game 2 hoping to stabilize in this series rather than take a commanding lead, having missed a massive opportunity to put Tampa on the backfoot.

It’s the kind of missed chance that will sting so much because of how well the Yankees’ pitching strategy for this game worked out. Gerrit Cole wasn’t at his sharpest, but he wasn’t bad either, managing to hold the Rays to just one run over five innings. Aaron Boone then did good work leveraging his bullpen (as he’s done for much of this season), tabbing Ryan Weathers for his postseason debut, and bringing in Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick at opportune moments, getting three no-hit innings from the trio. 

It wasn’t enough, in large part thanks to a superlative performance from Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Though the Yankees’ bats showed poorly in this game and made a couple key mistakes (more on that later), the story of this game is Rasmussen. The right-hander carried a no-hitter into the eighth, ultimately shutting the Yankees out over eight innings while allowing one hit, two walks, and striking out ten.

Rasmussen adjusted adeptly facing the lefty-heavy Yankee lineup, ramping up the usage of his cutter and changeup. The cambio in particular devastated the Yankees, the Bombers swinging 18 times at the change and whiffing ten times. Rasmussen’s changeup is a power one, diving beneath hitters’ bats at 89-90 mph, and the Yankees had no chance when he located it well:

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He also showed deft control of his heaters, painting the corner to generate a number of called strikes with his cutter and sinker:

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The Yankees didn’t do enough to make Rasmussen uncomfortable, only occasionally working deep counts and finding trouble squaring up the ball when they did make contact. But ultimately, Rasmussen is a very good pitcher who turned in the game of his life when the lights were brightest. The Yankees needed someone to break through and make a play, on a night where stringing together a rally against the opposing pitcher was a tall task. Austin Wells tried to be that someone when he roped the line drive down the right-field line that broke up Rasmussen’s no-no, attempting to stretch a double into a triple with two outs in the eighth:

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It was an inexplicable decision regardless of the result. Using some back-of-the-napkin win probability math, Wells advancing to third there would’ve raised the Yankees’ chances of winning by roughly one percentage point, while getting thrown out reduced their odds by something like seven or eight percent. To justify going for it, Wells needed to feel he had a nearly 90 percent chance of advancing, something he very clearly didn’t have as Victor Mesa Jr. gathered to throw from right.

This series is far from over after one game, but the Yankees had a real chance to put the Rays in a bind here. They limited the Rays to one run on five hits, a scenario they surely would’ve taken before the game had it been presented to them. Any sort of offense would have resulted in New York taking a 1-0 lead in Tampa Bay, with the presumptive AL Cy Young winner ready to take the ball and bury the Rays in Game 2. Instead, Cam Schlittler will need to shove just to keep his team from falling into a 2-0 ALDS hole for the second consecutive season.

Schlittler will be up for the job, and the Yankees may very well find themselves back in the series come Monday night. But this is a tough, solid Rays squad, one that will be to hard to crack. The Yankees could’ve given themselves a chance to break them, but Rasmussen had other plans.

On the site today, Kevin discusses the (Yankees) player of the game from Game 1, Gerrit Cole. Also, Madison recaps the rest of the action from a busy day of playoff baseball yesterday, and John spins through the week in Yankees social media, while Matt’s entry in our Yankees Birthday series highlights Frankie Crosetti.

Today’s Matchup:

Offday.

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Yankees News: Drew Rasmussen and Rays take Round 1

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 03: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees reacts to striking out against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. The Rays defeated the Yankees 1-0. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Newsday: The Yankees dropped Game 1 against the Rays on Saturday night. The story of the game was Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen, who completely shut down the Yankees, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: The Yankees ended up sticking with Gerrit Cole to start game one of the ALDS, despite his struggles at points this season and despite Carlos Rodón’s impressive run to end the season. However, the reason they ended up going with Cole was that they plan on using all four starters during the series and they liked Cole in Tropicana Field and believe his “stuff” would play up better there. While he wasn’t perfect, Cole was hardly the reason the Yankees lost Game 1, allowing one run in five innings.

New York Post | Jon Heyman: Speaking of pitching, Matt Blake’s contract is reportedly up after the 2026 season. After leading the league in ERA this past season and having a pretty stellar pitching staff in general, the Yankees are unsurprisingly hoping to retain him.

MLB Trade Rumors | Mark Polishuk: There’s nothing that can be done at this point, but we did get some intel on the Yankees’ trade deadline, specifically around catcher Adley Rutschman, who ended up going from the Orioles to the Red Sox. Baltimore reportedly would’ve accepted a Yankees’ trade package, but the sticking point on the Yankees’ end was around prospect Yostin Pena, who rocketed onto the scene this past season.

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Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets: Preseason Opener

The Jazz will face off against the Nuggets Sunday evening at 5:00 PM MT. It’s been a long offseason, but unlike the past few seasons, there’s been a different feel this summer. The excitement has been building higher and higher, exceeding any level the Jazz fanbase has had at any point in a long time. It all started back in May when the jumped up to number two overall in one of the most stacked draft classes in recent history. The excitement continued to build when the Jazz selected Darryn Peterson, regarded as the most talented draft pick in franchise history. Then summer league came and the excitement only went higher, followed by training camp ramping up and the Jazz providing so much content that the hype is sky high.

When you combine a player like Peterson with the rest of the assets and players the Jazz have accumulated over the past few years, you have a team that can make some serious noise in the west. but if you’re reading this, you already know that. This will be an awesome season for the Jazz and the first chapter begins now.

It’s unclear at this point who will be playing for the Jazz and the Nuggets considering it’s just a preseason game, but I’d expect lighter minutes from the veterans and established stars, while also hoping for guys like Peterson and Ace Bailey to get some real playing time and showcase what they’re capable of doing.

Will Hardy and the Jazz hope to start the preseason strong tomorrow with a win over a perennial playoff opponent in the Nuggets. The game is in Denver and will start at 5:00 PM MT, and air locally and on NBA TV.

Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets | How to Watch

Who: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets

When: 5:00 PM MT

Where: CU Events Center, Boulder, CO

How to watch: KJZZ, Jazz+

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San Jose Sharks Defeat Los Angeles Kings in Overtime

Just two games into the San Jose Sharks' new season, the long familiar "Beat LA" chants were being belted out at the SAP Center as they hosted the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night. 

The extracurricular activities didn't take long to begin, as Macklin Celebrini went after Adrian Kempe after the first whistle when the Kings forward ran into the net, narrowly missing a collision with Sharks netminder Yaroslav Askarov. The Sharks got the first power play when the Kings' captain, Drew Doughty sat for cross-checking. The Sharks' power play started off strong, but were unable to convert before the veteran defenseman exited the penalty box. 

The Sharks had a couple of scares around the middle of the period, as Igor Chernyshov got some attention from training staff after a hard pass from Darnell Nurse caught him in the skate, leading to some clear pain. Doughty then collided with Askarov after being hooked by Nolan Allan, leading to a Sharks penalty kill. The Kings took advantage of the extra man and Kempe scored the opening goal. 

The Sharks were unable to find an equalizer before the first period expired, but they did get a power play to start the second period as Alex Laferriere was called for roughing at the very end of the first frame. 

Just like the Kings did in the first period, the Sharks took advantage of the power play and rookie Ivar Stenberg picked up his first career point. Stenberg found Toffoli on a cross-crease pass that he easily slipped past Anton Forsberg to tie the game at 1-1.

Sharks Highlight Reel: Stenberg Gets First Point in Spectacular FashionSharks Highlight Reel: Stenberg Gets First Point in Spectacular FashionThe San Jose Sharks entered the second period of Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Kings trailing 1-0 after Adrian Kempe scored his first of the season to put their arch enemies ahead. 

The Sharks then took the lead just eight seconds before the official halfway point of the game, as Kiefer Sherwood ripped a shot from the slot past Forsberg for his first goal of the season moments after intercepting a pass. Nolan Allan scored his first goal as a Shark on the rush at 12:32 in the second period, doubling the team in teal's lead and giving the fans their beloved tacos from Taco Bell. 

With just over a minute remaining in the second period, the Kings started cycling the puck as there was a delayed penalty on Celebrini for slashing. It led to quite a few chances for the Kings before the Sharks were able to touch the puck, including a shot that hit the inside of the post. Ultimately, the Sharks were able to survive the unofficial penalty kill and Celebrini went into the penalty box with just over 30 seconds remaining in the period to start the official power play for Los Angeles. With 1.3 seconds remaining in the frame, Quinton Byfield sniped his first goal of the season to bring the Kings within a single goal heading into the final 20 minutes of play.

The Sharks doubled their lead when Igor Chernyshov scored his first goal of the season off of a nice breakout pass by Tyler Toffoli, making it a 4-2 game. While there's quite a bit of criticism of Toffoli's speed on social media, this play showed exactly why Ryan Warsofsky likes to keep him with the speedy youngsters. He placed a pass perfectly allowing Chernyshov to beat the defense.

Collin Graf skated to the penalty box at 7:42 in the third period after he tripped up the veteran Corey Perry, who seemed to go down a little easily. The Sharks' penalty kill was successful this time around and prevented a power play goal for the first time in the game. Prior to this, the Kings were two-for-two on the power play. 

At 10:21 in the third period, Erik Haula scored his first of the season to bring the Kings within a goal once again. Then, Artemi Panarin scored his second goal of the campaign to tie things up with five minutes remaining. For the second time in two games, the Sharks weren't able to maintain a lead to close out a game in regulation.

For the second time in two games, the Sharks blew a third period lead and the game went to overtime. Once again, they had a young player serve as an overtime hero though, as this time it was Igor Chernyshov with his second goal of the night who secured a victory for the Sharks and improved their record to 2-0-0.