The Cubs took two of three from the Pirates after getting swept in Milwaukee and entering Monday’s action hold the top wild card spot by virtue of their tiebreaker over the Phillies. The Cubs’ magic number to clinch any postseason spot is now 8.
Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.
Three up
Alex Bregman continues his hot second half
The Cubs third baseman batted .400/.520/.700 (8-for-20) over the six games with three doubles, a home run, three walks and only one strikeout. He began getting hot two games before the All-Star break and over that 55-game span is batting .312/.391/.638 (68-for-218) with 17 doubles, 18 home runs, 49 RBI and 45 runs scored.
Busch didn’t start the first game at Milwaukee and pinch-hit, going 0-for-1. In the five games since then: .353/.429/.588 (6-for-17) with a double, a home run, three walks, six RBI and five runs scored.
It would be great to have Busch’s bat in the postseason as hot as it was last October, when he hit four home runs in eight games.
Pedro Ramirez broke out of his slump
In last week’s edition of this feature I noted that Ramirez was in an 0-for-18 slump.
He broke out of that this week by batting .250/.286/.650 (5-for-20). Not much of a batting average — but two of the five hits were home runs. He added two doubles and seven runs scored.
I’m going to give a cautious hat tip to Daniel Palencia, whose outing on Sunday was his best since returning from the injured list. He hit 100 miles per hour for the first time and got five whiffs among 18 pitches thrown. A healthy, productive Palencia would be a huge boost to the bullpen.
Three down
Ian Happ is slumping again
After hitting pretty well most of August, Happ is in a September slide.
Over the six games, he batted .083/.389/.083 (1-for-12). The OBP looks good due to seven walks drawn over the week. But Happ also left one game early due to what was reported as a foot issue and didn’t start the first game of the week in Milwaukee.
As is the case for many Cubs, a healthy and productive Happ would be a huge help in October.
Kevin Gausman, woof
Gausman has had several very good starts for the Cubs. His last one, last Wednesday against the Brewers, was not one of those. He allowed seven runs (six earned) in four innings and got taken deep three times. It was a bit surprising, as he had held the same Brewers to one run in seven innings just six days earlier at Wrigley Field.
His next start comes up Tuesday against the Braves. He’s made three starts at Wrigley since joining the Cubs. The other two (against the White Sox and Diamondbacks) were shaky. Hopefully, this upcoming start will be better than that.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a quiet week
The presumptive National League MVP hit his 41st home run last Monday in Milwaukee.
In the five games since then PCA is batting just .150/.227/.150 (3-for-20) with seven strikeouts.
He does seem to go through stretches like this from time to time. It would be good for him and the team if he’d come out of it starting Monday against Atlanta. He’s four stolen bases away from a 40/40 season, which would be the seventh such year ever and first for a Cub.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets runs the bases after his eighth inning grand slam home run against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.
MONDAY
Jonah Tong recorded 12 whiffs through two innings, tying for the most whiffs in the first two innings of a game by a Mets pitcher in the Statcast era (since 2015). The record was set by Noah Syndergaard on April 15, 2018, against the Brewers, and matched by Jacob deGrom on July 14, 2019, in Miami.
TUESDAY
Nate Lavender recorded a 14th straight scoreless appearance to begin his career, marking the second-most for a Mets pitcher behind Joe Smith (17 in 2007). Lavender’s streak would come to an end on Wednesday night.
Brett Baty recorded an extra-base hit in five straight games for the first time in his career, and became the first Met to do so since Francisco Lindor from August 13-19, 2025.
WEDNESDAY
With his 23rd stolen baseof the season, A.J. Ewing broke a tie with Lee Mazzilli and teammate Carson Benge for the second-most stolen bases by a rookie in franchise history, trailing only Mookie Wilson (24 in 1981).
The Mets won despite allowing 14 runs for the first time in franchise history. They were previously 0-86 in games in which they allowed 14+ runs. The Mets also won despite allowing 20 hits for the first time in franchise history. They were previously 0-24 in games in which they allowed 20+ hits. It was the first time a team won despite allowing 20+ hits since…exactly three years earlier, when the Orioles beat the Red Sox 13-12 on September 9, 2023.
The Mets posted multiple six-run innings in the same game for the first time since August 29, 2025, in Jonah Tong’s debut at Citi Field (also against the Marlins).
For the first time in franchise history, the Mets won a game in which they allowed three or more runs in three different innings.
FRIDAY
Carson Benge recorded his 10th outfield assist, tied with Cleon Jones for the fourth-most by a Mets rookie behind Juan Lagares (15 in 2013), Rod Gaspar (12 in 1969), and Tsuyoshi Shinjo (12 in 2001). (source: Anthony DiComo on X)
Cody Bellinger’s homer marked the first home run hit off Nolan McLean’s curveball since the right-hander debuted in the big leagues. It was just the fourth extra-base hit, along with an Ian Happ double on June 24, an Ozzie Albies double on July 5, and a Trea Turner double on July 19.
SATURDAY
The Mets hit six home runs in a Subway Series game for the first time in franchise history. The Yankees had done it once before against the Mets on July 10, 1999, in a 9-8 Mets win at Shea Stadium thanks to Matt Franco’s walk-off single off Mariano Rivera.
Carson Benge’s fifth-inning RBI single marked his 147th hit of the season, moving him past Ty Wigginton and into second place on the Mets’ rookie hits leaderboard, trailing only Pete Alonso (155 in 2019).
Francisco Lindor reached 20 home runs for the 9th time in his career. He is only the second primary shortstop to reach 20+ homers in 9+ seasons, joining Cal Ripken Jr. (12 seasons of 20+ homers).
Lindor hit his first grand slam since Game 4 of the 2024 NLDS at Citi Field against the Phillies. Lindor now has seven grand slams with the Mets including postseason games, passing Mike Piazza for the most in franchise history.
Lindor became the eighth player in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run and grand slam in the same game, joining: Bobby Doerr (August 1, 1939), Von Hayes (June 11, 1985), Darrin Jackson (August 25, 1991), Kenny Lofton (August 20, 2000), Charlie Blackmon (May 31, 2016), George Springer (October 3, 2021), and Jake McCarthy (July 3, 2026). (source: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor hit his 291st homer while playing shortstop in a game, tying Miguel Tejada for third-most behind Cal Ripken Jr. (345) and Alex Rodriguez (344). (source: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor recorded his 24th multi-homer game while playing shortstop, tying Ernie Banks for second-most behind Alex Rodriguez (33). (source: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor recorded his 3rd multi-homer Subway Series game, breaking a tie with Pete Alonso and Jorge Posada for the most in Subway Series history. Lindor previously hit three homers exactly five years earlier on September 12, 2021, at Citi Field, and hit two homers on July 24, 2024, at Yankee Stadium. (credit: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor recorded five RBI in a game for the ninth time as a Met. Three of those games have come against the Yankees.
Zac Thornton became the first Mets pitcher to complete seven innings in a Subway Series game since Max Scherzer on July 27, 2022, at Citi Field. He became the first left-hander to do it since Jon Niese on May 27, 2013, at Citi Field.
Thornton recorded his seventh quality start through 13 career games, tied for third-most by a Mets left-hander behind Steven Matz (9) and Sid Fernandez (8).
The Mets won a Subway Series game by 10 or more runs for the third time in franchise history. All three have ended with a score of 12-2 (June 9, 2000, at Yankee Stadium, and June 26, 2024, at Citi Field, were the previous two).
The Mets scored 10+ runs for the 17th time this season, tied with 1990 for the fourth-most such games in a season in franchise history. The 2000 (24), 1999 (20), and 1997 (18) teams are the only ones in franchise history with more double-digit scoring games. The Mets this season are tied with the Nationals for the second-most double-digit scoring games behind the Cubs (21).
SUNDAY
The Mets and Yankees held each other to three hits or fewer for the second time in Subway Series history. The first time was June 28, 1998, in a 2-1 Mets win at Shea Stadium.
The Mets suffered their 14th shutout loss of the season, tying them with the Mariners for the fourth-most of any team in the majors behind the Reds (16), Guardians (15), and Pirates (15).
Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:
Only eight homegrown Mets have put up 30-homer seasons in orange and blue:
Dave Kingman (1975, 1976, 1982) Darryl Strawberry (1987, 1988, 1990) Todd Hundley (1996, 1997) David Wright (2007, 2008) Ike Davis (2012) Lucas Duda (2014) Michael Conforto (2019) Pete Alonso (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
As expected after Atlanta waived him last week, point guard Devin Carter has agreed to terms and will join the Boston Celtics in training camp, reports Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.
The Boston Celtics and Devin Carter have agreed to a deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Carter will compete for an NBA roster or two-way spot in camp. Carter averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 18.4 minutes during 38 games for the Sacramento Kings last season. pic.twitter.com/eo4U82bCg2
Boston has its 15th roster spot open and the cap space to add another player, but Carter also has two-way eligibility. How things go in training camp may determine his status, although the more likely outcome is that he starts the season on a two-way and that contract may convert to a standard one.
Carter, a lottery pick out of Providence, played his two NBA seasons with the Kings (who traded him to Atlanta this summer in a salary dump). Due to a variety of injuries (shoulder, ankle, calf and back), Carter played in 74 games across those two seasons, and last season averaged 8.9 points per game when he did get on the court.
Carter needs to answer two questions in Celtics training camp. First, can he stay healthy and on the court? Second, has he improved his 3-point shooting? Carter has shot 27.4% from beyond the arc in the NBA, and Boston is a 3-point-happy team under Joe Mazzulla, Carter needs to show he can be part of that.
LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens have signed head coach Martin St. Louis to a multiyear extension.
The team announced the deal Monday without revealing how long St. Louis is now under contract.
St. Louis, 51, has guided the upstart Canadiens to consecutive playoff berths, including a trip last year’s Eastern Conference final, after beginning his tenure during a full-scale rebuild.
Montreal hired St. Louis in on an interim basis following Dominique Ducharme’s dismissal in February 2022, taking on his first-ever role behind an NHL bench after previously coaching at the youth hockey level.
A Hall of Fame winger as a player, he had the interim tag removed at the end of that season.
St. Louis has a 163-155-47 record entering his sixth season as Canadiens coach. He was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 2025, after leading the Canadiens to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Montreal, at the time the youngest team in the league, was eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals.
“Marty has done a terrific job leading our young team,” Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said in a statement. “He is a great communicator and teacher. We look forward to his continued efforts to mold this group into a championship-caliber team.”
Inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018, St. Louis totaled 1,033 points before retiring in 2015.
His most decorated season was in 2003-04, when he won the Hart Trophy as league MVP, the Art Ross trophy as leading scorer with 94 points and helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup.
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 11: Los Angeles Dodgers Josue De Paula (95) smiles in the dugout after an interaction with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) in the dgugtou during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marrlins on Friday, September 11, 2026 at LoanDepot Park in Miamim, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a real week of ups and downs for the Dodgers, who ran their season-best win streak to eight games before dropping two games in Miami, with a brutal Sunday loss that prevented what would have been a stellar week.
The Dodgers finally pulled the plug on Shohei Ohtani, placing the superstar on the injured list Friday after he aggravated his right biceps in his lone game on Monday. They played Freddie Freeman and designated hitter on Tuesday, then sat on Wednesday and Friday while dealing with a right knee injury. On the field, Freeman is hitless in his last 16 at-bats and has one hit in his last 26 at-bats, and was moving gingerly at first base on Sunday before a bad toss to covering pitcher Tanner Scott in the fateful ninth inning.
But the Dodgers also saw top prospect Josue De Paula not only make his major league debut, but thrive in doing so, reaching base six times in 11 at-bats, including his first major league home run and a double on Sunday.
In all, the Dodgers won four out of six games, and can clinch a postseason berth as early as Monday.
Batter of the week
Teoscar Hernández continued his stellar September with seven hits in 16 at-bats, tied for the team lead with six RBI, hit a home run and a triple, and even stole a base.
The offense was for the most part humming this week, with De Paula, Hernández, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Will Smith, and Kyle Tucker all posting an OPS over 1.000.
Pitcher of the week
Emmet Sheehan bookended the week with stellar starts. He allowed a run in 5 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts to beat the Reds on Monday after getting called back up from Triple-A. Then Sheehan on Sunday pitched six scoreless innings on Sunday.
Week 25 results
4-2 record 36 runs scored (6.00 per game) 18 runs allowed (3.00 per game) .780 pythagorean win percentage
Year to date
90-59 record 741 runs scored (4.97 per game) 571 runs allowed (3.83 per game) .617 pythagorean win percentage (92-57)
Welcome aboard: Top prospect Josue De Paula was called up directly from Double-A on Friday, and started all three games in Miami — two at designated hitter, then Sunday in left field. In his first game, De Paula reached base once in his four trips to the plate in his first game with a walk, the third Dodgers player to make their major league debut in 2026. De Paula joined first baseman/outfielder Ryan Ward (2 for 5, RBI on April 19 at Colorado) and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo (0 for 2 on July 5 vs. San Diego) in the Dodgers’ first-timer club this season.
Go90: Friday’s victory in Miami gave the Dodgers 90 wins on the season, something they’ve done every full season since 2013, excepting only the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign in which the team was 43-17. The Dodgers are the first team in MLB history to win 90 games for 13 full seasons in a row.
Monday: Emmet Sheehan was recalled from Triple-A, with Bobby Miller optioned the day after pitching three innings in relief.
Tuesday: Center fielder Alek Thomas cleared waivers and was sent outright to Oklahoma City.
Friday: Shohei Ohtani was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Tuesday, which opened up a lane of playing time for Josue De Paula’s first major league call-up. Left-hander Eric Lauer was moved to the 60-day IL, ending his season.
The Dodgers run the Eddie Milner gauntlet, finishing up the road trip with a series against the Cincinnati Reds for the second week in a row, followed by the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles next weekend. The pitching matchups for the latter half of the week are a guess, as the Dodgers have TBA listed for the final two games in Cincinnati.
As National Hockey League clubs open training camps this week, a few former Buffalo Sabres have still not found a home. In recent days, veteran blueliners Carson Soucy and Nick Blankenburg have agreed to professional tryouts with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs respectively, but players with extensive NHL experience may be running out of time to land a job or may be waiting for a club to need an injury replacement early in the year.
Last season, veteran goalie James Reimer’s pro career looked to be nearing its end, as he failed to latch on with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being brought in on a PTO late in the preseason, but Ottawa came calling in January for a dependable backup for Linus Ullmark, with youngster Leevi Merilainen struggling, and his addition helped the Senators get into the playoffs. The 38-year-old is still unsigned.
Evander Kane also has not found a landing spot, but after a subpar season in Vancouver, being 35, and a chaos agent in many of the locker rooms throughout his career, only a desperate club would go down that road.
A player that surprisingly has not found a home is big defenseman Logan Stanley. The former Winnipeg first rounder played nearly six seasons with the Jets before being traded at the deadline along with Luke Schenn to the Sabres for Isak Rosen, Jacob Bryson, and two draft picks. With Buffalo, the 6’7”, 231 lb. defenseman played mostly in a third pairing role and posted five assists in 17 regular season games, and eight of Buffalo’s 13 playoff games.
There had been speculation that coming off a career-high 26 points last season, and with a very thin crop of defensive free agents on the market, that the 28-year-old was in a prime position to get overpaid and get some term on a deal, but clearly Stanley and his representatives miscalculated.
The veteran is currently skating with his former junior club, the Kitchener Rangers, and may be holding out for a one-year deal in a good landing spot, where he can get plenty of ice time, have a good year and hit the open market again next July, but that may not come until the regular season.
How will Leeds United and Newcastle United fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options
Leeds United and Newcastle United have both enjoyed an unbeaten start to the Premier League season, hinting that Monday’s encounter could be highly competitive between two teams seemingly on an upward trajectory.
After avoiding relegation last season, Leeds are looking to push themselves even higher up the table and have lost just one of their last 12 league games. Newcastle, though, are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Leeds.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - MARCH, 1956: Infielder Jerry Coleman, of the New York Yankees, poses for an action portrait during Spring Training in March, 1956 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
“Jerry Coleman, who was banging out base hits all over the green sod at Yankee Stadium last spring, helped today to knock out a rail bridge about twenty-five miles south of Sariwon in his first combat mission in Korea as a Marine air captain.” – The New York Times, February 1, 1953.
I’m highly skeptical that any ball player has had a cooler one-paragraph article in the NYT about them. But Coleman was a pretty fascinating guy with a rather cool history. When he wasn’t racking up World Series titles with the Yankees, he was flying combat in Korea. When his playing days ended, he ended up becoming one of the most famous and beloved broadcasters in the sport. Oh, doctor!
Name: Jerry Coleman Born: September 14, 1924 (San Jose, CA) Died: January 5, 2014 (La Jolla, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1949-1957
Two things happened in early 1942 that changed Jerry Coleman’s life. First, he attended a presentation about the US Navy’s flight training program and instantly decided he wanted to become a fighter pilot. Second, the Yankees offered him $2,800 to sign with the organization. Not yet 18 and therefore unable to join the Navy, Coleman signed on the dotted line and joined the Yankees.
Coleman eventually ended up flying in the Pacific theater, transferring stateside in summer of 1945 to train for an invasion of the Japanese islands. Japan, however, surrendered shortly after and Coleman was discharged in early 1946, allowing him to play baseball.
He made the Yankees out of spring training in 1949 and quickly inherited the second base job due to injury. From there, he was a mainstay in the Yankee lineup. And on the final day of the season, with the Red Sox and Yankees tied and playing for the pennant, the diminutive Coleman had a signature Yankee moment.
With New York up 2-0 on Boston in the home eighth, Coleman came to the plate with the bases loaded, facing Red Sox hurler Tex Hughson. Coleman swung at the first pitch and muscled a pop fly where neither the second baseman nor the right fielder could get it. He couldn’t have run the ball out there and placed it any better. All three runners scored, extending the Yankee lead to five. And those runs were huge, as the Red Sox scored three in the ninth before the Yanks put them away to clinch the pennant.
In that year’s World Series, the Yankees knocked off the Dodgers in five. Coleman, for his part, drove in four runs on the five hits, picking up the first of four World Series rings he’d win as a player. It was the first of three consecutive titles for Coleman, and the first of five straight for the ‘50s Yankees dynasty. Coleman was also recognized as the Associated Press choice for American League Rookie of the Year.
The next season was Coleman’s finest. He made the All-Star Game, the lone time he did that in his career. And in the World Series against Philadelphia, he drove in three of the Yankees’ 11 total runs, reached base six times in four games, and was named winner of the Babe Ruth Award, a still-active honor but the only such award in the days before the World Series MVP. Coleman walked off Game 3 with a single against Russ Meyer, plating Gene Woodling with the run that put the Yankees ahead 3-0 in a series they’d sweep.
The Korean War interrupted Coleman’s playing days as he was off to serve his country again. During that conflict, he flew 63 combat missions, in the process becoming the only major leaguer to have experienced aerial combat in two different wars. Coleman provided close air support and flew interdiction/strike missions. Though he returned to the Yankees for the 1955 season, he remained with the Marine Corps reserves until 1964, when he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Back in baseball, Coleman played three more seasons, ultimately retiring after the 1957 campaign. The effects of his wartime service, and injuries on the diamond, took their toll and Coleman was never the same player he’d been before heading to Korea.
But baseball was not done with him. The third and final act of his baseball career would be the longest, and the one for which he is best known. In 1960, he started broadcasting baseball games. From 1963-1970, he called Yankee games, though that ended when his wife expressed a desire to move to the West Coast. Coleman was, however, on the call when old friend Mickey Mantle clubbed the 500th homer of his Hall of Fame career.
From 1972 until his death in 2014 (with the exception of 1980 when he served as the Padres’ manager), Coleman broadcast San Diego games, where his signature lines “Hang a star on that one, baby!” and “Oh, doctor!” became well-known to baseball fans.
In the process, Coleman became one of the most beloved figures in baseball. In 2005, he was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award for his achievements in broadcasting.
Coleman died in January 2014 at the age of 89, after suffering a fall. I’ll leave summing up his extraordinary life and career to C. Paul Rogers III, Coleman’s SABR biographer:
“He became a bona-fide war hero in two wars, had a baseball playing career that earned him Rookie of the Year and World Series MVP honors, and then transitioned into a Hall of Fame broadcasting career. Through it all, he remained a very humble man with a great sense of humor and an appreciation for his good fortune in surviving two wars and for his ability to play Major League Baseball. Jerry Coleman was not only a San Diego treasure, but an American treasure.”
Happy birthday, Jerry Coleman.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Boston Bruins training camp starts Wednesday, and one player to keep a close eye on is top prospect James Hagens.
The former Boston College star, who the B’s selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, dominated the Buffalo Sabres in the 2026 Prospects Showcase at LECOM Harborcenter over the last two days.
Hagens scored twice in the first game Sunday to propel the Bruins to a 6-2 win.
Hagens played even better in the second game Monday afternoon. He scored all four of his team’s goals, including the winner in overtime for a 4-3 victory.
Did we say Hagens Hatty? We meant Hagens FOUR GOAL GAME 💪
The 19-year-old forward was playing against Sabres prospects and not a bunch of NHL players, but it was still very encouraging for the Bruins to see how powerful and accurate he was with his shot in this event.
Hagens has a ton of potential as possible top-six forward in the near future. He is a gifted playmaker who has steadily improved his abilities as a goal scorer over the last two years.
He’s also a potential X-factor for the Bruins during the upcoming 2026-27 season. The B’s need a couple young players to take a jump offensively and provide valuable scoring depth. Fraser Minten, a 22-year-old center who recently signed a seven-year extension, is a prime candidate for a breakout. Marat Khusnutdinov scored a career-high 15 goals last season. Can he get to the 20-goal mark in 2026-27?
Hagens was able to get some valuable NHL-level experience last season. He played in two regular season games and three of Boston’s six playoff matchups versus the Sabres in the first round.
The defensive aspect of his game still need some work, and he has to be better on faceoffs. But the offensive talent is special. Four of his six goals in the Prospect Showcase this week came on the power play. That’s one area where he could make a real difference for the Bruins next season.
Hagens will have to earn an Opening Night roster spot in training camp and the preseason. But if he shows the kind of dynamic offensive skill set that was on display in Buffalo the last two days, he shouldn’t have much trouble making the team.
Franklin Arias of the Portland Sea Dogs is present during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on May 1, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
I’ve used the word “penultimate” seemingly endless times in the last month or so, so here’s one more. The WooSox capped off their finale in Lehigh Valley (Phillies AAA), finishing the PENULTIMATE series of 2026 in dramatic fashion despite outplaying the IronPigs for most of the game. Gage Ziehl had a gritty if not spectacular performance, pitching into the sixth and coming back from being taken yard in the fourth without his confidence shaken. All told, the 23-year-old righty struck out eight to bring his total to 126 in 116 innings pitched (96/85, respectively, of those being in Portland) and is really shaping up into someone to watch in 2027. The pitching staff as a whole issued zero walks despite being taken for nine hits, but the game never looked out of control save for when Noah Song came in to let two runs up in the sixth.
Luckily, though, the WooSox offense had a home run derby, sending five over the fence, including two from Allan Castro. That second one hoisted the WooSox from a deficit to a lead that Sam McWilliams wouldn’t give up. Arias also hit his 24th home run of the season (and his 5th in Triple-A.)
Portland: Cancelled (rain), end of season
Rain cancelled the last game of the season against Binghamton (Mets AA) in an anticlimactic fashion. But what a season it was for the Sea Dogs.
The season began with interested eyes watching Franklin Arias become an absolute hitting machine in the spring, along with Anthony Eyannson dealing, only for the former to be promoted to Triple-A and the latter dealt to Baltimore (or rather, Chesapeake) in the Adley Rutschman deal. Still, Brooks Brannon raked, the team had 8 walk-off wins and generally found ways to come up on top. The pitching staff headed by Hayden Mullins, in his own right a guy to watch, pitched a combined no hitter in April (but not a shutout). And Justin Gonzales looks formidable as an everyday outfielder a few years in the future. Overall, the cupboard is not as fully stocked as some teams, but there’s some players to feel good about starting to make their mark in the mid-levels of the farm.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets drives around Jake LaRavia #12 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter of a game in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are four new Lakers and one returning player who look well positioned to obliterate the national media’s low expectations and a cautious local fanbase that’s been burned once too often.
Note: Since cheaper rookie deals are locked in, recent draft picks like Cameron Carr, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and Adou Thiero were left out.
Matisse Thybulle
Defense-starved Lakers fans have dreamed about adding Matisse for years. Now, an injury-filled career has left him playing for LA on a minimum deal right in the middle of his prime.
Availability will always be a concern. But the former All-NBA defender has one trait that will position him to outplay that minimum deal: He’s the best at what he does on the entire team.
A look at Thybulle’s numbers reveals an impossibly high steal rate combined with an increasingly reliable three-point shot. He’s also shown the ability to defend up and down, offering head coach JJ Redick a level of versatility he had in Marcus Smart, only in a taller and younger package.
Injuries could once again have Matisse in street clothes for much of the upcoming season. But if he can regain some level of health like Smart did last year, LA could end up with a rotation-level wing fighting for one of the team’s 2027 exceptions.
Jake LaRavia
Besides injuries, one sure-fire way to make fans crazy is consistently missing wide-open 3-point shots. So, no one was surprised when many ended last season ready to move on from the once promising “Jake of All Trades.”
Still, there are several reasons to believe LaRavia can have a significant bounceback season.
First, he is still relatively young, with his 25th birthday coming just a few days into the regular season. Second, Jake spent his first three years on relatively aimless teams, forcing him to develop lasting NBA skills and habits in less-than-optimal environments.
Luckily, LA’s new batch of wings and forwards should help shoulder more of the load. Assuming a reasonable minute allotment, consistent defense, motor, availability, and continuity with a coach that trusted him nearly all last season, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Jake regain his shooting stroke and the faith of Laker fans.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 03: Walker Kessler of the Los Angeles Lakers throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Walker Kessler
When LA spent two unprotected first-round draft picks and two swaps (which seem less than likely to convey) on Walker, the national media widely panned it as a major overpay. Annoying, but likely the point.
Still, several reasons suggest Walker can outplay those low expectations.
First, Walker is clearly a high-level shot blocker and rim protector. Former Utah Jazz reporter and current Philadelphia Sixers media member Tony Jones, who spent multiple seasons covering Walker, recently told Jovan Buha of Buha’s Block that he believes the former Team USA center has a chance to be a Rudy Gobert-level defender
“Which is essentially a one-man top-10 defense,” Jones explained.
Kessler also offers surprising advantages on the offensive end as well. Although not an elite post player, Jones also stated more than once that Walker is surprisingly fast end-to-end, regularly leading to fast breaks, quick seals, and easy lay-ins. Those points will be extremely valuable for a team that wants to push the pace on offense.
There were also concerns about Kessler’s ‘highest for a non-All-Star center’ payday. However, with the rising cap, it is more than likely that Kessler’s contract will end up in the lower half of starting centers before it ends.
Like many physically massive players, Kessler may turn out to be a valued game-changer who simply can’t stay healthy. If so, the critics might be right.
But given how many games Utah sat him in successive tanking seasons while he was seemingly able to play, and their decision to address his longstanding shoulder issue with surgery at the start of yet another Great Salt Lake tank campaign, his chances of injury don’t seem to be proportionately higher than any NBA player.
And, oh yeah. If the rumors of a 3-point stroke turn out to be real, his sub-max contract and middling draft asset price may become long-forgotten relics of a predetermined narrative meant to satisfy everyone but Lakers fans.
Ziaire Williams
Ziaire Williams isn’t a complete unknown. But given his relative level of obscurity playing for Memphis and Brooklyn, it’s not a surprise that many Laker fans are talking themselves into the idea of Ziaire starting over more well-known, identifiably flawed options like Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jarred Vanderbilt, Matisse, Jake, and Adou.
A quick glance at Ziaire’s youth and athleticism, and his picture-perfect combo-wing size, reveals a player who merited a first-round gamble. His time in the league has been a mix of solid play, spotty effort, and role concerns.
The other common criticism of Ziaire is how thin he is. His light frame might have worked for a player who used his length to smother opposing guards and his quickness to ably navigate screens. But LA needs a combo forward.
It sounds like Ziaire has added significant muscle, revealing recently that he’s up to around 215 pounds, to potentially compete for the open starting forward spot. While that’s not enough added poundage to bang with bigger fours, the up-and-coming wing might have increased his defensive versatility enough to compete for legitimate rotation minutes.
On offense, a quick look at Williams’ shot chart shows a player who is at his best shooting open catch-and-shoot threes. Now, he is joining a backcourt that has been known to generate “butt-naked wide open” threes.
There are scenarios where Ziaire’s lack of hustle, thin frame, or inconsistent shot doom him to the bench. But considering his added weight, upward career trajectory as a shooter, and JJ’s ability to put together defenses that maximize disrupters like him, it feels like Ziaire has a chance to dramatically outperform his minimum contract and force LA to consider spending part of their MLE on him next summer.
Instead of trying to score the most points, the do-it-all role player who’s proven a valuable cog in several championship runs said two-way players should try to forge a role with their G League team that they would most likely play with the big club.
A comfortable on-ball scorer, Arthur often found himself stuck in the corner as a third or fourth scoring option behind guys like Bronny, Nick Smith Jr., and Drew Timme. But when the ball came to him, the bulky wing showed that hitting open threes and attacking close-outs with a savvy Euro-step into the paint followed by a crafty finish at the rim is exactly what he does.
Ultimately, given the limited number of options at power forward and his breakout Summer League performance, Arthur Kaluma may obliterate expectations and force LA to sign him before the season ends.
Christopher Plain has spent the last six years as Associate News Editor and Head Science Reporter at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his novels at plainfiction.com, or email him at christopher@thedebrief.org.
Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays Tony Fernandez (1) in action, making tag vs Baltimore Orioles Alan Wiggins (2). Baltimore, MD 6/12/1987 CREDIT: Jerry Wachter (Photo by Jerry Wachter /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X34961 TK1 )
39 Years Ago
The Blue Jays defeated the Orioles 18-3, powered by an incredible ten home runs. Ernie Whitt accounted for three of those blasts. I was always a fan of Whitt—his left-handed, all-out pull swing was a thing of beauty. He often finished with his left knee on the ground, a move I tried to imitate without success. I still wonder how he managed to track the ball with his head dropping like that, but somehow, Ernie made it work.
The Jays scored:
Five runs in the second inning: Whitt led off with a home run. Jesse Barfield doubled, and Rance Mulliniks followed with another homer. After Fred McGriff struck out and Willie Upshaw grounded out, Nelson Liriano walked, and Lloyd Moseby capped the inning with a two-run homer.
Two more came in the third when George Bell and Rance Mulliniks each hit solo home runs.
In the fourth, Liriano walked, advanced to second on a Moseby groundout, and scored on a Tony Fernandez single.
In the fifth, Whitt led off with another home run.
In the sixth, Bell hit his 45th home run of the season—he would finish the year with 47 homers, 134 RBI, and the AL MVP award.
The Jays exploded for seven runs in the seventh: Barfield singled but was erased on a Kelly Gruber double play. McGriff walked, Upshaw singled, and Liriano drove in a run with an RBI single. Rob Ducey followed with a three-run homer—one of just 31 in his career. Manuel Lee and Lou Thornton each singled, with Thornton collecting one of his 22 career hits. Whitt then capped the inning with his third home run of the game, another three-run blast (his 17th of the season).
In the eighth, McGriff led off with a solo home run.
That team featured plenty of great players, including a future Hall of Famer.
On the pitching side, Jim Clancy got the start. He finished the season 15-11 with a 3.54 ERA across 37 starts, throwing 241.1 innings and recording five complete games (74 in his career). This was his last standout year as a starter at age 31—those innings eventually took their toll. Clancy later signed with the Astros as a free agent before the 1989 season and transitioned to the bullpen.
Interestingly, Mark Eichhorn and Tom Henke pitched the eighth and ninth innings. Henke hadn’t pitched in five days, while Eichhorn had worked the previous day.
The win brought the Jays to 86-57, tying them with the Tigers for first place in the AL East. As for how the season ended—let’s just leave that unsaid.
Four Years Ago
Vladimir Guerrero hit his 100th home run. The Jays won the game, 5-1 over the Mariners. The win put the Jays a half game up on Mariners and a game and a half up on the Rays. All three would end up in a Wild Card spot.
MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- When Mason McTavish made the case that he would play
with a chip on his shoulder after being traded by the Anaheim Ducks
to the St. Louis Blues, the same can’t be said for newly-acquired
defenseman Brandon Carlo.
In
Carlo’s case, getting traded was a welcomed sight.
In
the 29-year-old’s case after being traded by the Toronto Maple
Leafs to the Blues on June 27 -- which was the second day of the 2026
NHL Draft -- for a pair of third-round picks in 2026, it’s a
welcomed change of scenery.
It
simply didn’t work out with the Leafs, who paid a hefty price to
acquire the 6-foot-5, 227-pound right-handed shot from the Boston
Bruins at the 2025 trade deadline. It cost Toronto forward Fraser
Minten, who recently signed a long-term extension with the Bruins, a
conditional first-round pick in 2026 and a fourth-round pick in 2025.
In
75 games with the Leafs, including 55 last season, Carlo finished
with 10 assists (seven in 2025-26) while playing just under 19.5
minutes per game.
“There's
no secret that I wasn't my best (last season) by any means, but
overall I am excited for the new opportunity and to be welcomed by a
group is always a great compliment,” Carlo said. “So yeah this is
a good, fresh start and I hope to come in here and just take my
experience and knowledge and help in any way I can. Just continue to
do my best each and every day, that's all I can really control. You
can't control certain things with getting traded, but overall I
definitely was excited to hear that I was going to be a St. Louis
Blue.”
So
when the news came down, with Carlo driving in his car with his wife
and five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son, it came as a
welcomed relief.
“I
was driving to my niece's birthday party, so my wife and my kids were
in the car. I just got a call and it was just one of those trade
calls where you can tell right off the bat when they say, 'How are
you doing?' 'I'm OK,’” Carlo
said.
“Overall, it's a good thing. I'm thankful for my time in Toronto.
It was a good learning experience overall. I'm thankful to have
played with those guys. They have some great guys in that room and,
yeah, I think overall you've got to go through some hard times to
continue to grow as an individual and this is one of them for me.”
Carlo
and his wife understood their lives would be changing, but the kids?
Not so much.
“Yeah,
my kid was shaking a maraca in the back or something,” Carlo
joked.
“Yeah, but you know it's a part of my family life, too, and it
affects all of us. Kind of good to just rip off the
Band-Aid
with everybody.
“…
I
think my daughter is starting to understand a little bit, but it's
great just to see it through their eyes. She was super excited to go
to school the other day in a new place and had a lot of fun with
that. I just try to take that approach and learn from it as well to
have that childlike mentality with it all because it is a new
experience. It's exciting. It can be nerve-racking as well, but from
a child's perspective, as an adult you can lean on that and see that
it's a fun opportunity.”
Carlo,
who has one year remaining ($4.1 million cap hit, $3.25 million base
salary) on a six-year, $24.6 million contract he signed with the
Bruins in 2021, gives the Blues stability and size on the blue line;
he is a nice security blanket and insurance for 2024 first-round pick
Adam Jiricek, who is no guarantee to sew up a spot on the NHL roster
this season.
When
then-general manager Doug Armstrong made the trade, he mentioned
specifically that Carlo’s experience was too good to pass up.
“That’s
exactly it,” Armstrong said. “We think that Jiricek is going to
come in and have a great training camp and I know you guys are sick
of me saying this, but the NHL fails more people than players fail
the NHL, so we don’t want to put someone in a position where
they’re surviving. We want to put them in a position where they can
potentially thrive. Jiricek is going to have the opportunity to come
in here and push, but we’re in for the marathon with this young
man. He played a lack of hockey last year, I think 90-plus games, but
if you look at the number of games he played the two years before
that, it wasn’t a lot. Sort of hope for the best and plan for the
worst might be the best way to look at this. It’s a one-year deal
(for Carlo) too. We’re not bringing in a contract that’s going to
preclude someone mid-season or next season. This is reflective of
what I think the NHL should be as great competition, so when he’s
ready to take someone’s job, he will.”
In
the meantime, Carlo’s 10 years and 692 regular-season games’
worth of experience should suit the Blues well, and whether he plays
with Cam Fowler or Tyler Tucker or whoever the Blues put him with,
they’ll be getting someone who should help the overall defensive
game, particularly the penalty kill, a penalty kill that was not very good (25th, 76.7 percent) last season.
“Yeah,
I think overall each year I've learned so much and that goes for
everybody,” Carlo said. “Each year you play in the league, you
learn more about yourself, you learn more about your game. I think I
can understand the role that I play and it's not the sexiest role,
but overall I love what I do, I love my job and what I can contribute
to a team. I feel confident in that and look to just bring that every
day that I can.
“I
think just kind of take some of the knowledge that I've learned from
some of the great players that I've played with on the penalty kill
... my first year, I was lucky enough to play with Zdeno Chara and
learn from him, especially on the penalty-kill. Communication is key.
You'll hear me being pretty loud out there, yelling all over the ice,
especially on the penalty kill, because as long as we can be each
other's eyes and take away the passing lanes, that can be really
helpful. And I think with a goalie like ‘Binner’ and ‘Hof’
behind us, there should be a recipe for success there.”
And
the Blues hope to get more success from Carlo, who played some of his
best hockey when Blues coach Jim Montgomery coached Carlo in Boston,
in 2022-23 when he had three goals, 13 assists in 75 games and a
career-high plus-44 and in 2023-24 (four goals, 10 assists in 76
games, plus-23).
“Yeah,
our team was very good that year and that obviously helps and was
fun,” Carlo said of the 2022-23 season, the best in NHL history at
65-12-5. “But I really enjoy playing under ‘Monty.’ I think
he's a great coach and sends a great message, so a lot of respect
there for him and really happy to be reunited with him.”
Now
that the Band-Aid has been ripped off, Carlo, who faced the Blues in
the 2019 Stanley Cup Final that the Blues won in an epic seven-game
series, is eager to get to work with a blue line that will also
feature 6-4, 210-pound Philip Broberg; 6-6, 228-pound Colton Parayko;
6-2, 213-pound Fowler; 6-3, 212-pound Logan Mailloux, and 6-1,
204-pound Tucker with some length and beef.
“It's
been awesome (so
far),” Carlo said.
“I haven't had many experiences with many guys in this room besides
‘Monty’ obviously. It's been great. All the guys have been great.
Yeah, it seems like a very good group. Pretty tight-knit from what I
can tell, and yeah, I think I can continue to get more comfortable
each and every day. It was nice to get all of the introductions out
of the way on the first day, and from there just start building
relationships with guys.
“Just
a bunch of guys who are big and like to compete. You can tell out
there, even in practice that everybody just wants to compete hard and
I have a lot of respect for that. The goal is to go through camp just
working as hard as we can. Yeah, there are some guys that I can
continue to learn from, too. Fowler and Parayko as well, they have a
lot of experience in this league. I've looked up to (Parayko) for a
while, just similar style of play in some aspects, and he's a great
player. Yeah, it should be fun to learn and grow with these guys.”
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Apr 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) walks to the dugout after striking out during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The New York Mets (69-80) welcome the Baltimore Orioles (72-78) to Citi Field for a three-game series starting this evening. The Mets are coming off a 1-2 Subway Series with the Yankees, which saw two relatively competitive games go the Yankees’ way, and an absolute rout of a dub for the Mets.
The Yankees are a playoff team and they have the likely American League Cy Young winner as their ace, so it isn’t exactly a shocker that the Mets dropped two of three, but it was the way they dropped them that was bothersome. On Friday night, Nolan McLean had a tough outing, Juan Soto let what should’ve been a fairly easy fly ball drop in front of him leading to a run scoring, and the entire game was a frustrating mix of mini-comebacks and poor moments that seemed avoidable.
Losing 2-0 to Cam Schlittler isn’t anything to be ashamed of, but it was the absolute lack of any offense against the Yankees bullpen that was so frustrating, especially because the Mets had done so well against them in the first two games. I know their bullpen overall has been excellent this year, but for a team that has been clicking offensively to get three hit with no real scoring opportunities was frustrating.
Speaking of frustrating, get ready for three straight days of arguments about Pete Alonso. It’s hard to have an Alonso take that is unique at this point, and it seems just as rare to have one that doesn’t get shouted at folks who disagree with you. My take is fairly simple: while I do think his skillset ages more poorly than others, he meant enough for the Mets that they should’ve tried harder to retain him. I miss rooting for Alonso each night, and his bat would certainly have helped during the offensively challenged periods earlier this season.
Alonso and Francisco Lindor are both one home run away from career #300, and it would very cool to see them do it in the same game, and it would be nice for Pete to be able to celebrate the milestone with the fans who were there for the majority of those home runs.
As for the rest of his Orioles teammates, they’re in a bit of a rough spot. They’re in last place in the AL East, but only four games out of a Wild Card spot, but there are two teams between them and the final spot, currently occupied by the Guardians. They’re 3-7 over their last ten games, and every team ahead of them in the WC standings has been at least .500 over that stretch. They simply need to be playing better to have any chance at a playoff push, and while they’re not exactly running into a juggernaut, the Mets have been solid in the second half and might not be the pushovers that Baltimore hopes they’ll be.
Monday, September 14: Jonah Tong vs Brandon Young, 7:10pm EDT on SNY
In Tong’s sole start since his most recent call up, he went five innings, giving up four earned runs on four hits and one walk, while striking out seven. He had a very rough second inning where he gave up a a single, a walk, a triple, and a home run, but in every other inning he gave up just one hit and generally kept Miami off-balance. While his stock has fallen since his debut last season, Tong is starting to look more like a pitcher who can work around some adversity and keep his team in the game.
This season is going much, much better for Young than his rookie campaign did. He’s been hovering around a 3.5 ERA for the better part of the year, and he’s averaging decent length in his starts. However, his last start was a really messy one; he didn’t make it out of the fourht inning, gave up six runs on eight hits and two walks in a loss to Cleveland.
Tuesday, September 15: Sean Manaea vs Shane Baz, 7:10pm EDT on SNY
It has been a weird year for Manaea, who started the year looking like a candidate to be designated for assignment, then looked like he belonged here, and is now maybe looking like a DFA candidate again. Over his last five starts, he’s given up at least four earned runs and he only made it into the seventh inning once. It’s hard to tell exactly what is left in Manaea’s tank at this point in the season, and this point in his career.
Baz had his worst start of the second half last week against the Guardians, where he couldn’t finish the sixth inning, gave up two home runs en route to giving up five earned runs. But overall, he’s been solid, if unspectacular, for Baltimore this season. He’s had just three starts where he hasn’t gone five innings and his walk and home run rates are both down from his career norms. He’s striking out fewer batters than you’d like, but with the other metrics in consideration, it’s hard to be too upset about his performance.
Wednesday, September 16: Robert Stock vs Chris Bassitt, 7:10pm EDT on SNY
The Bob Stock feel-good story is still going, despite all evidence suggesting that this was never a good idea. Aside from his one disaster appearance against the Brewers, Stock has been reliably solid, even if he’s not going deep or doing a ton to impress in terms of actual stuff. But he’s making the absolute most of what he’s left with at this point in his career, and what more could we ask for?
Old friend Chris Bassitt had one of his best ever seasons with the Mets in 2022, but he’s coming back to Queens a very different pitcher. Bassitt is older, wilder, less effective, and generally just not the player he was last season, let alone four years ago. It is hard to say because I really enjoyed watching Bassitt pitch, but this might be a very, very ugly game to watch on both sides.
